


Runaway Padawan

by melosdechordas



Series: Catch and Release [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alien Creatures, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Bittersweet, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Kijimi, Love, Mid-Rim, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Prequel, Reader-Insert, Romance, Set before Episode II, Star Wars - Freeform, Unspoken relationship, and some sense slapped into him, cause rat tail boy needs some love too, edgy rat tail braid anakin, minor past character death, that skinny love typa beat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:15:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melosdechordas/pseuds/melosdechordas
Summary: Anakin Skywalker has had enough of the Jedi Order. Day by day he aches for more responsibility and more purpose by advancing from his Padawan training. Yet he is continuously being denied by those who oversee him. Driven by a frustrated impulse, he leaves without warning. Soon after, Ani's fate collides with you, a humble worker on Kijimi trying to make a living. You two begin a cautious friendship, but events take a turn for the worst when you discover his true identity. Haunted by your past, can you learn to move forward? Your journey begins here...
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Reader, Anakin Skywalker x Reader, Anakin Skywalker/Reader, Anakin/Reader
Series: Catch and Release [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764310
Comments: 21
Kudos: 75





	1. #1

**Author's Note:**

> the following is a prequel to "reunited" in the "catch & release" series. while it is not vital to read "reunited" to understand the events of this book, these works are a cohesive unit and tell a story best when read together.

This wasn’t a good fucking day. 

You determined this very fact as you ran across the marketplace in search of a way out. Your legs burn from sprinting and pushing people out of the way. They yell at you, but you have bigger problems right now than to care about your reputation of the villagers in the market.

The Boosodian chasing you screamed your family name as he pointed his blaster in your general direction. Even from here you could tell it was cheap shit. But his threat with it was enough for everyone to either scramble, scream, or duck in fear. You crouched, but kept running as fast as you could. This maniac chasing you wouldn’t open fire on a market that was chock-full of locals, would he?

A stun shot flew past the left side of your head. 

Oh, so he would. 

You keep running. Your sturdy boots keep you from sliding on the newly-formed ice. You take cover inside a narrow alleyway to get outside of the central area. The icy wind blows at you. You pull your bantha hood tighter to you, looking behind your shoulder. No one’s in sight. You exhale, a visible puff of smoke escaping your lips. 

But suddenly, from your left, your assailant is there. You don’t have enough time to react, and he slams you face-first into the unforgiving concrete. The ice under you cracks, and some blood from your forehead drips into the ground. 

This guy really took your argument to heart, didn’t he? 

He’s on top of you now, his breath getting in your face. You struggle under him, but quickly jam your fingers into two of his eyes. He screams in pain, covering the wounds with his hands. You crawl from under him, scramble to your feet, then keep running. 

You run far enough that you come across an area where it’s snowing. It’s already pillowing the ground. You sprint to the top of a small hill and thank the maker that there’s flat terrain ahead. 

A metal-plated pathway is iced over to your left, and you plop yourself down on it, then quickly let yourself slide down. You land in a developing snow pile ungracefully. 

Once upright, you shake and dust off the snow from your outerwear. You rest your hands on your knees for a moment, breathing. The wind that fills your lungs is freezing, but you welcome it. 

Looking around, your eyes latch onto a ship in the sky. It’s about to land a few meters beyond another tall, white hill. You know that hill, because further is a prime spot for a blizzard to start when it turns dark out. But the pilot aboard seems to be set on landing there. You wish him the best, despite his ignorance. 

You’re so lost in thought by the ship until you hear a voice in the distance behind you.

“I’ll kill you, stupid girl!”

You roll your eyes in irritation.

“I’ve seen enough of you,” you mutter angrily. You begin to run forward in an unpredictable path, grabbing your own blaster out from your hip. As if luck would make ammunition appear, you looked inside your weapon. But you still had nothing, unfortunately. You chastise yourself internally for not refueling it earlier in the market. 

To your left is a sharp cliff, and to your right is the unknown. Town is behind you, but with this Boosodian, that route is non-negotiable. Your only option is the soon-to-be-blizzard. That, or become a nice decoration in a Boosodian cave unit. 

You keep forward. 

The ship isn’t as far as you think once you’ve passed the high hill. In all of your 17 years, you’d never been out here. Whoever did was a fool. But, the pilot of this ship was about to be the fool who got you out of this mess. 

You approach the ship just as the side declines down into the snow to create an entrance onboard. You quickly but quietly run inside, almost bumping into the holotable in the middle. Finding the control for the door, you shut it with a swift press. To your agitation, it ascends back into the side of the ship agonizingly slow.

You tap your foot, waiting anxiously for it to be sealed off from your attacker. Once you’re certain it’s closed, you approach the piloting room at the front of the ship. Doors activate and push open when you’re near, but they make little to no noise.

Now in the room, you’re met with the backside of the pilot.

The young man is facing the controls of the ship. He dons somewhat baggy robes that are dark brown and black in color. A long hooded robe sits in the optional co-pilot seat, darker black than what he is wearing. His brown hair is kept short. The top somewhat spikes up, and the back is left flat. A thin, almost unnoticeable braid is tucked behind his right ear. The hilt of a strange weapon is strapped to his hip. All of this is unfamiliar. 

The young man stiffens as if he senses you there. You don’t know how; you haven’t made a sound, and if you did, it would have been dominated by the whir of the controls powering down. 

He doesn’t dare move. You raise your gun at his back. He doesn’t need to know that it has run out of energy cells. 

“Get this ship in the air, right now,” you demand, voice as calm as you can muster.

He turns to look at you, and his blue eyes immediately bore into yours. 

You’d never seen eyes like that. You’d never seen anyone that looked like he did.

But you had no time to gape. He’s not moving, and you can hear the banging of the Boosodian’s fists on the side of the ship.

You pull off your hood so he can have a full view of you. 

You remove the safety of your gun. 

With a pleading face, you request, “Please.”


	2. #2

You fasten your gun back into its holder once the ship is in the air. 

“Thank you,” you mutter. He remains silent and faces forward, his hands over the console. You slowly approach him. The air is uncomfortable. He’s keeping an eye on you, as if you’d get your blaster back out. Now that you weren’t being chased, you wanted to reassure him that you wouldn’t hurt him, but you retracted this idea when you remembered the strange weapon dangling on the side of his belt. 

He had made the ship travel about 10 klicks away, but now it was stalling in the air. The threat from the angry creature was gone, and now he was looking at you with expectant eyes. 

Normally, you would have parted ways with this stranger as soon as possible: right now. But he had flown farther into the blizzard, and the snow was already rapidly forming. He seemed to notice this too; he was gazing out the window with a child-like wonder you would have never expected. It was amusing to you.

“It’ll get bad quick,” you point out the impending blizzard. He tears his eyes away from the falling snow. “We can help each other, y’know.”

“How so?” he asks, and you’re taken aback by how firm his voice is. You didn’t necessarily imagine that when you had seen him. Still, his first words to you gave you hope; he was obviously intrigued by your offer. 

“Well, you landed this ship in a prime spot for a blizzard. So clearly you’re not from here. You helped me escape, so when we get out of this storm, I can offer my residence for the night.”

He’s quiet as he considers your offer. Turning his head, he gazes into your eyes. You want to look away, but it’s as if you’re locked in place. 

“Will there be any more attempts on my life?” 

“Will there be any reason for there to be?” you question back, easing into a smile. He’s not kidding, though. Instead he moves in closer, glaring.

“You pointed your weapon at _me_.” 

You stand your ground, now frowning. “And now I’m trying to _apologize_.”

“Correct me if I’m mistaken, but I haven’t heard an ‘I’m sorry.’”

“I’m sorry!” You shout, then gesture to the thickening snow. “Can we go, please?”

He looks as if he wants to argue further, but takes another glance outside. 

“Fine.”

Holding out your hand, you say, “(Y/N).” He doesn’t respond again. “And what are you named?”

In his eyes you could tell he was trying to decide whether or not to trust you with such information. “Ani,” he ventured, as if it just now occurred to him. If he was lying, you didn’t care much. At least you could call him something.

When he took your hand, you immediately smiled. He gave a small one back, only meeting your eyes for a moment. You were still mesmerized by the blue swirling in his irises. You two shake, and you’re the first to take away your hand.

He seats himself to fly. You sit next to him, telling him the coordinates to get home. He’s nodding in understanding. You take a good look around now that you have the time.

It was some sort of Consular-class cruiser, but much smaller than any one you’d seen before. It was definitely a Republic ship, you knew that much. The red coloring on the outside was a dead giveaway. 

When you thought of the Republic, you imagined old men, women, and creatures alike sitting in uncomfortable chairs talking about politics, secretly hating everyone else in the room. This person next to you was maybe a year or two older than you. You didn’t think he could hold such importance, but then why would he be travelling in a Republic ship? You could think of one thing...

You looked back to Ani. Sure, he was strange, but a Jedi? You weren't sure. You’ve never met one. You knew anything a Jedi needed from this planet was long gone. Still, the thought made you shiver. You hoped he wasn’t associated with them. 

But you were assuming too much with not enough facts. You wanted to know more. How could you not feed your curiosity?

“This your ship?” you ask. 

“I’m borrowing it,” he replies seriously. He starts up the accelerant, and that ends the conversation.

You have Ani land over the roof of your abode where, thankfully, it was not snowing at all. You lived underground, similar to 99% of the population in Kijimi. He didn’t seem to understand this, which you took note of. 

He looked at you with confusion. “Where are we?” he asks. 

You stand up, beginning to walk to the exit of the ship. “My house.”

You leave, and you hear Ani’s boots follow you out. He looks around further, planting his hands on his hips. You ignore him, going to kneel on the cold ground. With your key, you unlock the trapdoor then you step down the stairs into the hallway. Before you can get into the living area, you can hear your colleague already coming down the stone stairs from the bedrooms. He’s got his blaster in both hands up near the side of his face. He must’ve seen the Republic ship that landed on top of the skylight. Obviously he wouldn’t have recognized it.

“Get out of my house before I blast you into next week!” he warns. 

“Ace, it’s me!” you say, raising up your hands and stepping into view. He’s just as angry, but he puts away his weapon. He threads a hand through the black curly hair that runs down the middle of his skull, then rubs the sides of his shaved head. He seems especially agitated. You can tell you’re about to get an earful.

“Why are you not at the marketplace?” he questions. 

“I had a bit of trouble. But I got some help.” You point your thumb behind your shoulder, where Ani walks out. 

Ace gestures to him with his entire hand. “Who is this?”

“My new friend. Saved my skin.”

“You gave me no choice,” Ani points out.

You wave him away with your hand. “Yeah, yeah.”

Ace crosses his arms and stares you down. “What happened?” 

You sigh heavily. You don’t make eye contact, instead choosing to fiddle with your empty blaster. “A customer was giving me a hard time about our price at the stall. He was really irritating. He went on and on, telling me about how he got his for half the credits. Eventually I said, ‘half the quality, too. You have twenty eyes, can’t you tell this is grade A junk?’ Then I was going to segue my pitch, but then he started cursing at me and chasing me through the market!”

You think you hear your new friend Ani stifle a laugh behind you, but you’re too worried about the visible disappointment that is settling across Ace’s features. 

“It was basically the end of the day already!” you try to defend before he can get a word in. “Gorge can pick up our stand tonight.”

Ace puts his fingers on his temples then rakes them through his dark black hair.

“You’ve got to _grow up_ , (Y/N)!” he shouts. “I am leaving to Coruscant in two days, and you’re not reassuring me that you can take care of yourself and this business without me!”

“I am grown!” you yell back.

He points a finger at you. “You sure don’t act like it! How can I trust you to keep our business alive when I’m not here?”

“I do just fine, thank you! Don’t assume that I can’t take care of myself. You _know_ that I’ve been doing that a _long_ time before you came around! And I’ll do it again when you leave!”

“Yeah, we’ll see.” 

He storms off into his room, leaving you and Ani.

When you turn to him, he’s looking at you with wide eyes. You cross your arms and scowl deeply.

“What, Ani? Was that entertaining for you?”

He stutters to answer you, and you scoff. You decide to leave this stranger to his own devices for the night, but his voice makes you stop in your tracks up the stone steps.

“Wait.”


	3. #3

Ani sits down in the conversation pit that is adjacent to the kitchen. You stare at him for a long moment, waiting for him to speak. 

“He underestimates you,” he says simply. The words hang in the air as you process them. 

You sigh, approaching him. “He’s just worked up.” You shake your head dismissively. “He’ll get over it. Either way, he’ll be gone soon enough.”

“He would leave even if he thought you weren’t ready to take on the responsibility?”

You don’t answer, because you’re not sure. You don’t want to admit your worries. But still, you go to sit next to him in the pit, keeping a comfortable distance away. 

“Coruscant is the capital of the Republic,” he continues. “What business does he have there?”

“Not everyone has political business in Coruscant,” you shoot back at him. “Have you ever been in the underbelly of some of those big cities? They’re just as run down as places here. There’s work for him there.”

“What kind of work are we talking about?” He narrows his eyes at you. 

“Don't look at me like that. We’re legit.”

You whip out your blaster, running your hands over the barrel. This was your newest and most expensive model to date - sleek carbon fiber imported from Corellia. Who knew the smallest pieces in a ship could make up the largest parts of a blaster? (Well, you and Ace had known for quite some time, actually, but never had the amount of credits it took to create until recently.)

“We make top of the line blasters almost exclusively by hand.”

You hand it over to Ani. It was still empty, so you felt comfortable enough. He takes it in his hands, giving himself a moment to feel around it. You smile with pride, thinking about the hours you put in that weapon to ensure its perfection. 

“You made this all by hand?” he asks, and you nod. 

“I shape the parts with machinery, but assembly and otherwise is with these,” you answer, holding up your hands. 

“Couldn’t a few factory droids do this same work?”

You’ve heard this before. You shrug. “Sure. But Kijimi isn’t really known for much besides running spice. Here, we much rather keep droids as household workers. But not even I have one. Most are more expensive than they’re worth. In Coruscant, sure, there’s droids aplenty, but both here and there we’ve found that customers like blasters made by real people. It’s nothing against the droids - most of the time, anyway. It’s more like… we’re responsible for our work. It’s easier to kill a gunsmith for shoddy weaponry than destroy a droid and have to pay their master.” You say this with a bleak look on your face, but then smile and wink at him. “Ace and I aren’t dead yet, though. That’s ‘cause we’re perfect.”

“Oh, really?” he smirks, putting down the blaster on the table beside you both.

You reach over to your weapon and tuck it back into your holster. “As a matter of fact, yes. Mostly.”

He’s staring at the now-empty spot where he set down the blaster. The expression on his face isn’t clear to you.

“I-I wasn’t really going to shoot you,” you admit suddenly.

He gives you a side glance. “It wouldn’t have been wise to try,” he states. You scoff at his overconfidence. 

“Okay,” you pretend to agree, internally rolling your eyes. 

“Someone I know would say that weapons like yours are for an uncivilized age,” he continues. 

“Whoever they are, they’ve never seen my blasters.”

“I have to say, I don’t much care for them.”

“Okay, Ani, what kind of heat are you packing then?”

He laughs. He had a dashing smile when it was genuine. 

You’re staring again at the hilt of his weapon. The more you look at it the more intrigued you become. He notices quickly, and he turns his hip so it’s out of your view.

“That’s unimportant.”

You huff in disagreement, but let it go. He had no ground to trust you. You pointed a gun in his face, afterall. 

“Okay,” you agree, standing up. “Today’s officially tired me out. I’m going to rest. Sorry, there’s not much room to sleep here,” you gesture, “but better than freezing out there, right?”

He nods. “Thank you.”

You start up the stairs. 

“Good night,” you whisper.

His voice is just as quiet as yours. “Good night, (Y/N).”

You turn to smile at him before disappearing into your room. Once you’re alone in the dark under your thick blankets, you try to clear your mind of all that had happened today. But one thought couldn’t rest.

You’re not sure why, but the way he said your name echoes in your head for the rest of the night, even in your dreams.


	4. #4

A series of knocks on your door jolts you upright from your bed. Ace is shouting from the other side of the thick wood, telling you to wake up for the day ahead.

“I’m up!” you yell back, rubbing your eyes. Grudgingly, you leave your warm bed and change quickly. The temperature felt colder than usual today, so you put on two layers of dark colored clothing - navy over black - and cover yourself in your hooded Bantha cloak.

You descend down the few steps into the living and kitchen area to see Ani sitting at the dining table. You look up further and see Ace there as well, standing in front of him. They stop conversing when you come up to them.

“Good morning,” you venture, eyes narrowing at the two of them. “What are we talking about?”

The air is tense. Both of their expressions are blank as they stare at you. 

Eventually, Ace says, “I was just asking when he was leaving today.” He turns to you. “We have a lot of work to do.”

You scratch the back of your neck. Awkwardness is seeping into the room. Your partner has a look in his eyes towards you that’s as strong as a hit from a blaster. 

“Hey, you know what?” You come up with an idea. “I can take Ani for some breakfast at Biques, and then he’ll be on his way. Right?” You look to Ani, nodding, hoping he will too. “I doubt you’re staying in Kijimi for a leisurely visit. We wouldn’t want you to waste time here.”

Ace whips his head towards you angrily when you suggest this. “I just said we have a lot of work to do. There’s no time for a bistro breakfast.”

“Don’t worry!” you shout. “Afterwards I’ll stop by Gorge’s place to get our items from yesterday’s stand.”

“Something you wouldn’t have had to do if you remained at your post,” he huffed, crossing his arms. “I’ll expect you to not be long, or you can picture yourself organizing bolts the rest of the day.”

“It’ll be quick,” you promise, adjusting your cloak to cover you further. 

Ani has a large robe of his own to keep himself warm, which he goes to put on. 

“C’mon then,” you say to him. “I’m starving.”

He walks in front of you and begins to ascend the stairs. You follow, but you’re stopped by Ace’s firm grip on your bicep.

“Be careful,” he whispers.

You’re not sure why he decides to tell you that. You’re always careful; he knows this. Yet, you could admit you’ve been getting into trouble lately. The situation yesterday was just one example.

You take your hand to remove his from your arm gently. “I will.”

When you’re out of earshot, you sigh heavily. A visible cloud comes from your mouth due to the cold. “He’s so infuriating.” You begin to walk forward and Ani keeps up with you. “He acts as if every mistake is the end of the world.”

“Does he always scold you that way?”

“Oh, it’s _incessant_ ,” you groan, curling your fists. “Never completely trusting me, unnecessarily looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not screwing up.”

“Minimizing your achievements?” Ani offers.

“Exactly!” You decompress with a long exhale. “He’s great and all, and I’m thankful for him, but sometimes he’s…”

“Excessive? I know how you must feel,” he sympathizes. You gaze at him now. He’s staring ahead, but his eyes have a faraway look in them.

“Really?” You smile at him. “Huh.”

Now at the entrance of Bique’s, you open the door for Ani. He slips in, and you follow behind. The bistro is quiet, despite the many people it's currently seating. You direct him to the back of the restaurant, nearby the kitchen. You sit across from each other in a booth. Menus are already placed on the table. You see Ani look down at it blankly.

“Get anything,” you say. “I’ve been coming to Bique’s for as long as I can remember - everything is good.”

“I’ll have what you have,” he states, not even looking at the choices.

You shrug, “Okay, sure,” and then order two bowls of hearty stew.

Looking around, you’re surprised to not see Bique, the restaurant owner. But breakfast seemed to be bustling this morning, so you couldn’t blame him to not make an appearance. 

You’re snapped from your thoughts when you hear your name.

“(Y/N),” Ani calls to you. He says it the same way he did last night. You’ve replayed it in your head so many times, there was no mistaking it. You look at him, your eyes locking with his blue ones. 

He waves a hand over the table, right in front of your face.

“You will let me stay with you for the duration of my trip,” he suddenly says, his stare unwavering. 

You stare back, squinting. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” you ask, shaking your head in confusion at him. His face falls. 

He waves once again, this time further in your face. “You’ll provide your residence.”

You smack his hand away so you can look in his eyes to ask, “Are you telling some kind of joke?”

He sighs, setting down his hand on the table. He leans forward, voice just above a whisper as he admits, “Truthfully, I have nowhere to go.”

A silver-domed droid rolls to the end of your table with a platter holding two bowls. You and Ani each take one. You mutter a thank you to the machine then shoo it away.

You shake your head, blowing air at your steaming stew. “What does that mean?”

“I’ve found myself in a predicament.”

“...Yeah?” you say, pushing him to continue.

He sighs, frustrated with you. Instead of answering, he lifts the spoon of soup into his mouth. You eat too, almost forgetting how hungry you were. But still, your interest kept prodding at your brain.

“Are you running from something? Someone?”

He takes his time with his bowl. “You could say that,” he replies eventually.

Ani’s completely avoiding eye contact with you now, taking small sips of water. Taking a glance at the chronometer on your wrist, you hurry to finish your final spoonfuls.

“Look, you’re going to have to explain more than that,” you say. “But not right now.”

He raises his head to look at you again. You stand up, place some credits on the table, and take your leave. Ani trails behind you. 

Outside once again, you watch him clutch tighter to his robes to fight the freezing wind. You entertain yourself for a brief moment with the question in your mind as to what kind of climate he’s accustomed to. Surely not this one. 

“We’re going to Gorge’s to collect the supplies I left yesterday at the stand,” you explain, walking a few feet in front of him. You look behind your shoulder to scan him up and down as you add, “After that, you’ll explain. Whether I let you stay is under my discretion.”

He doesn’t agree, but nor does he argue. That was good enough for you.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Gorge’s house was a short distance away from the market where your stand was. You pass through there first, retrieving your busted-up speeder you had parked the day before. Some of your things were tied securely to the back of it, and more were in the compartment under your feet. You checked for any losses, but there were none. You were missing your rare and expensive products and materials, but Gorge was always sure to keep them safe with him.

“C’mon,” you say, pulling yourself up the vehicle and towards the wheel. Ani climbs up, seating himself on a tied down crate at the backend of the speeder.

You grab your grey scarf that’s laying beside your wheel. You begin to put it over your mouth, but look behind you at Ani. After a moment of contemplation, you extend the fabric out towards him.

“To cover your face,” you explain. “The wind is cold while we drive.”

A small smile curls his lips. He reaches for it, and your frigid fingers touch his for a brief moment before you let go.

“Thank you,” he replies. He lays the fabric over his nose, covering that smile you liked so much.

You turn back around, mumbling, “You look like you could use it more than me.”

The drive to Gorge’s is quick with the speeder. You and Ani enter the underground home only to find it empty.

“Gorge?” you call out, looking around. He’s nowhere to be found, but you spot his Anzellan friend who holds the stand with him. She’s sitting on a table hovering over tiny parts of a broken machine. 

“Hi, Ba Reila,” you greet in basic, then begin talking in her language so she understands you. Ani simply watches, pulling the scarf down to his neck.

Ba Reila moans back at your question of where Gorge is, saying he was on an errand, but that he was upset with you. You frown at the choice words. It was irresponsible, you knew, but Gorge would be sure that you’d return the favor somehow, and that was fine with you.

“No hard feelings,” you say to her, shrugging. You don’t mind that she doesn’t understand. She shakes her head dismissively at you, then points you in the direction of your belongings.

It takes you and Ani a few trips to get everything loaded onto the speeder. You say goodbye to Ba Reila as Ani makes sure the cargo is secured.

The roaring wind feels as if it freezes your facial muscles further and further throughout the ride home. Outside you see Ace’s own speeder gone, so you assume he headed out to grab something in town. When you head inside, you want to collapse onto the plush cushions of the couch in the conversation pit, but you don’t allow yourself that luxury until you get all your things inside.

Ani politely sits across from you after a few moments, handing you the grey fabric from the speeder. You take it and begin folding it.

“So,” you venture, “Explain.”

He looks away when you say that.

“I need a place to stay for… awhile.”

“Why’s that?”

He rubs the side of his neck. His tiny braid gets caught between his fingers, and he frowns and drops his hand back into his lap.

“I don’t know if people are looking for me. But I don’t want them to find me. Not until I’m ready to return. Maybe I don’t want to return at all. I’m unsure.”

Another question is ready to roll off your tongue, but you stop yourself when Ani looks in your direction. You get lost in his blue.

You feel as if you can see through him. There’s hurt and sadness in those eyes. Obviously something had happened, and he was trying to get away. You knew that feeling a little too well. 

The words you say next stem from your emotions rather than your logic. He was still a stranger. But strangers deserved a chance too, right? A cautious chance, you’d be sure it was. 

“You can stay, then.” 

His eyes widen and his shoulders raise up. Seeing a smile grow onto his face is something you hope to happen more often. Not to mention it’s infectious.

“It’ll be nice to have someone new around, especially since Ace is leaving soon. You can do the stuff I don’t want to do, like sorting the bolts! It’s the least you can do, don’t you think?” You give him a sideways grin. He doesn’t look very amused, but when you start to laugh, he does too.

After a minute of laughter, it goes silent. From the corner of your eye you give him a stare.

“You know I’m serious, right?”


	5. #5

Ace was entirely against the idea. You knew he would be, but convincing him was easier than you expected.

Okay, maybe he hadn’t been _convinced_ by you, and was instead preoccupied. Both of you had more important things to do than waste your time arguing. With his impending leave to Coruscant the next day, the deadline for his final customers on Kijimi was approaching quicker than either of you would have liked. Still, you were grateful for this; reminding him of it was a fast way to win the argument you knew you would’ve won eventually.

You two spent the rest of the day working with metal parts side by side in concentrated silence. The underground house the two of you shared came with a giant area in the back that over the years you and him had turned into a top-notch, two-person factory for your blasters.

The ones who had commissions from Ace would be there early the next morning before he had scheduled to leave, and there was still much to be done. You still had to file down the rough edges of the carbon fiber… not to mention finding that lost axis… Oh, and those test shots! And that was only half of the workload. Ace had an entirely different list of tasks. 

At first you were unhappily convinced that you would have to spend the entire night working, but much to your surprise, you two had finished in time to have a late dinner. Ani joined you at the table for taunherd pie. 

He was particularly quiet, and you wondered what he did for hours while you and Ace were working in the backroom. But you decide not to question him; you’ve done enough of that today already. That, plus the fact that he had heard your argument; he knew Ace wasn’t very keen on the idea of him staying. 

So mostly you and your partner talked between swallows of food. It was about work, of course, but neither of you minded. It was the thing you could always agree on. 

You found it hard to believe he was leaving. He had helped you a lot, whether it was related to gunsmithing or not. You almost didn’t want him to go. But his sister had left for Coruscant years ago, and reuniting with her was all he could think about since then. You were happy for them both, and honored that they trusted you to keep their shop here in Kijimi up and running. They had helped you get back on your feet to stand, and now, you were helping them get off the ground to fly.   
You excused yourself after finishing, and despite all your thoughts, you slept easily throughout the whole night.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Ace doesn’t have to wake you up this morning. You didn’t have to be up just yet, but you weren’t going to miss your last goodbye. You meet him in the back room of the house.

Wordlessly, you help him package his orders. He was to go into town to deliver them before leaving the planet. All of his things and some of the equipment from the backroom were already sent over to Coruscant. To see spaces empty because of this left a bitter taste in your mouth.

Outside, you look at him for a long time as he puts away his things inside his speeder. 

“Don’t act like you’ll miss me,” he says, rolling his eyes over to you. 

You punch his shoulder a little harder than you intend. “I will miss you, stupid.”

He chuckles, wrapping an arm around you. You hug him back.

“We’ll talk soon,” he mumbles to you. 

Ace lets go after you nod, but he holds onto your shoulder. 

“Be careful.”

“I will, Ace.”

He hops onto his speeder, gives you a wave, and you watch him as he becomes a speck into the horizon. The moon is getting ready to disappear, too. You stand there for a while, your thoughts blank as you stare at the spot where Ace used to be. The wind blows, and while it’s not too cold, it reminds you to head inside. 

You see Ani resting on the couch. He looks peaceful in his sleep. It’s still dark out, so you decide to give yourself a few more minutes before getting to work. You sit across from him, closing your eyes. 

Minutes turn into an hour as you’re asleep. The sun is what wakes you, shining at you through the skylight. You wince and shield your face, groaning. You blink a few times, then see Ani sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed.

You get up, yawning as you walk to the kitchen. You grab a ration bar, then look back to Ani and grab another. You set it next to him, then get to work. You hope he doesn’t mind the noise.

About thirty minutes later, you’re interrupted by a loud knock on the side of the wall. You stop and look up to see Ani. You wave him over, continuing to tighten the barrel in your hands to the frame of the gun.

“Good morning,” you say, grabbing the mini wrench that’s attached to your belt. 

“Hi,” he says, grabbing a gas cartridge on the table and inspecting it.

You’re silent for a moment, placing your microscopic glasses on your face to inspect the inner mechanisms of what you’ve created so far. Satisfied enough (it still needed a lot of tweaking), you put it down and give him your full attention. 

“Ace left this morning,” you say a little bit dejectedly. You wipe some grease onto your overalls then take off the glasses so he looks normal. “So it’s officially just you and me, pal.” 

“I see.”

“I kinda wish he was still here. I received a surplus of commissions just this morning.” You point behind your shoulder to your datapad. It blips with another notification as if it heard you. “That, and I miss him.”

“You two are… together?” Ani asks, and you double over in laughter. 

“No!” you shout through giggles. 

He looks away in embarrassment of his mistake. “Oh.”

“He’s more like a cocky older brother. But he’s not all bad. I was an orphan when he and his older sister Raz met me. We’d grown up in the same village but didn’t know each other until they found me freezing on the side of the road. They took me in, and they were the ones who taught me to make blasters. It just so turns out I’ve got a gift for it. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since, thanks to them. Really, I owe them a lot.”

You watch his face as he takes in this information, but he’s respectfully blank of emotion. He doesn’t comment on what you’ve said, focused on the pieces of what eventually would become a blaster spread all over the desk in front of you.

“With him gone, your workload will double,” he concludes.

“There’s more to do, definitely, but nothing I can’t handle.” You smirk, throwing a disconnected flash suppressor between your hands.

“Do you need help now? I can prove to you that I’m capable of more than sort bolts.”

You place a hand on your hip, eyebrows raised. “Oh, really?” you question, intrigued.

“I can’t say I have much experience making weapons like this, but I used to tinker with things when I was younger. With some direction, I could be of some use.”

You place a hand on your chin, thinking. You ignore the grease you’ve smeared on your face and smile broadly at him.

“Okay, Ani. Let’s see what you’re made of.”

So that was how you and Ani spent the next couple of days. You were right when you had said the work was nothing you weren’t prepared for, but having a partner made everything much easier, despite Ani’s inexperience. You were busy with most of the material shaping and collecting parts, but he helped with assembly or the little things that nowadays you found tedious and a little too time-consuming about the business.

During this time you were slowly learning small things about him, whether it was through work in the back, games of Djarik by the fireplace, or meals at the dinner table or at Biques. You learned things like how his ‘clan,’ as he put it, made young ones like himself wear a braid that you found ridiculous. Or that he was enjoying being here, because he, “quite liked thinking on his own.” And the strangest of all, that he had a hateful passion against sand. (That one made you snicker.)

Even so, Ani was still mostly a mystery. He would answer questions you had, only becoming quiet if he didn’t wish to elaborate. That was fine with you, because you did the same. 

You reflect on these last few days as you lay in your bed. You should be working still, but your fingers were becoming stiff, which made for easy mistakes. Plus, the progress you two had made together undoubtedly surpassed the progress you would’ve had working alone. It was a good thing you had Ani around. You were navigating your feelings about him the more time that you spent with him. It was bizarre the way he gave you excited goosebumps when your fingers would accidentally touch his, and the way he smiled at you, even when you hadn’t said anything particularly amusing. 

You flex your sore fingers as you let your mind wander, but it doesn’t last long as the holoprojector in your living room alerts you with a chiming sound.

You hop out of bed and walk over. You accept the call, excited to see the code belonged to a Coruscant subsection. Ace pops up in a moment, a blue holographic sheen over him. 

“Hey, (Y/N),” he greets, waving a hand. It’s strange not to see him covered head to toe in gear to keep himself warm. For a brief moment you wonder how it’s like to live on Coruscant.

_‘No snow, ever,’_ Raz told you once. 

“Hi, Ace. Wow, it’s good to see you. You hadn’t called, so I was getting a little worried. I’m glad it was for nothing.”

“I know, sorry. Things have been busier than I imagined. Raz was gonna join, but we’re a little backed up. She says hi, though.”

You nod. “I understand. Things have been busy here, too. Get this - I’ve actually got Ani helping me out.” His holographic image frowns. “Just the small stuff of course, don’t freak out. He’s surprisingly handy. Right now, even, I have him delivering one of the orders. He protested, but I told him it’s important to get to know others here, and make it personal, so they know they can rely on us. Kijimi isn’t the friendliest, but he’s-”

“(Y/N),” he interrupts, a grave look over his features. “Ani is one of the reasons I called. Have you noticed him do anything, I don’t know, out of the ordinary?” 

Your eyebrows furrow. “No, we’re becoming friends pretty quickly, and I-”

“Listen to me,” Ace cuts you off again. It’s irritating. “I don’t think you can trust him.”

You cross your arms. “And why is that?”

“(Y/N), I think he’s a Jedi.”


	6. #6

“A Jedi?” you whisper, looking around as if there were someone to hear. “How do you know?” The thought had crossed your mind once, but it had never been a legitimate suspicion. 

“I just have a bad feeling,” he explains. “I didn’t spend much time in the city before I got to the slums to meet up with Raz and her shop, but I saw some children with braids and robes just like your friend’s. The Jedi Temple is located at the heart of Coruscant, so I imagine there’s a lot of Jedi among the topside of this planet. I would ask Raz about it, but you know how she gets when anyone talks about it. I can ask her if you want me to, but-”

You interrupt. “Don’t. She doesn’t need to be reminded.”

You rub your temple as if it would clear your confusion. Not every bit of evidence added up, and Ace wasn’t completely confident on this hunch. 

You try to remember anything helpful about Ani. The braid you had never seen before, but the robes looked somewhat familiar. You recall seeing him in his ship for the first time. The weapon attached to his hip was strange and unique, but you had never gotten a better look. You hadn’t seen him with it since that first day.

You’re trying to recall more events, but Ace continues to talk. You hold up a hand to stop him.

“I.. I have to go. I need to think. Thanks, Ace,” you mumble dismissively, your thoughts already a klicks miles away. You turn off the holoprojector before he can even say goodbye.

You barricade yourself in your bedroom for the rest of the night. Ani returned a short time later once the sun fully came down, knocking at your door and calling your name. You don’t answer, and the lights are off, so after a moment of waiting, he bids you goodnight.

Your brain is tired of overthinking itself in pointless circles, so you decide to sleep. Once unconscious, you begin to have the first of, unbeknownst to you just yet, many nightmares.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It’s dark, and you are small. Your knees are pulled up against your chest; there’s not much room. You’re confined in this cube. Symbols begin to write themselves all around you. They glow in a pulsating beat, and the white noise forces you to cover your ears in pain. Your heart is stuck in your throat. 

Events start to make less and less sense from there. Your dead parents hug you. You’re not hurt, but they are. You cry while they smile. A pair of corrupted, fiery eyes look through you, but they disappear quickly.

The darkness around you vanishes as you’re transported into blinding white. Sirens blare. Snow is falling violently. The wind blows uncontrollably, and debris flies every which way. 

Your limbs are frozen. You’re unable to move. Snowballs cover you. You can’t breathe. A red, menacing glow is in the distance before you’re engulfed by the white.

You wake up, taking in a loud and staggering breath of air. It’s freezing, but you feel uncomfortably hot under your blankets. You throw them off of your bed and walk barefoot into your kitchen. The cold wood under your toes makes you shiver, despite the sweat forming on your forehead. Your head pounds just as your heart does.

You prepare a glass of water for yourself quietly, then sit in a chair in front of the dining table. You take a large drink, then stare into the darkness of your house. It takes your best efforts to think of nothing. You place your elbows on the table to prop your head up. Slowly, without noticing, your arms and head slip until your face is buried in your arms on the table. 

Minutes later, a voice is calling your name. 

It’s distant, then right in your ears, causing you to jump up from your chair. You spill the cold water over the table in the process. A wet hand is there to catch the glass cup before it shatters onto the floor. You follow the hand up to its muscular arm, past a broad shoulder, then a defined neck, and finally meet a beautiful face. You must still be too tired; it was such a bold and honest thought.

Ani has his eyebrows raised up at you as he delicately places the empty cup on a dry section of the table. He’s wearing a simple black shirt and loose pants. It was new to see him with this little clothing. You didn’t know if it was his value of modesty or simply the weather, but he was always seen by you in at least one layer of his robes.

“Was the dinner table more comfortable than your bed?” he quips.

You ignore his joke. “What time is it?” you ask, confused by the sunrays coming from the skylight. “It’s morning? But I had just…?”

It finally occurred to you that you had fallen asleep here hours ago. The stiffness in your neck validated that. You suppress a groan. 

“I’m going out,” you mutter, putting your head back on the table. Your forehead gets wet.

“Should I get started in the back?” Ani asks quietly, handing you a rag.

“I’m not working today,” you decide. “You don’t have to either.” You lift your head back up to see him tilt his head. His braid dangles. 

“Is it a holiday?”

You scoff, finally dabbing away the wetness from your forehead. “No. I work on holidays. We’ve made good progress these last few days. I think a break is in order.”

Ani smiles and nods in agreement.

After drying the table and the floor, you change into a dark green jumpsuit and pull on a thick parka. As you dress, you try to sift through your emotions.

Much to your exhaustion, your thoughts were starting to argue amongst themselves.

_‘What if he is a Jedi?’_

_‘And what if he isn’t?’_

_‘Why don’t you ask him yourself? Are you afraid of the answer?’_

_‘Of course I am! He’s my friend and I want… I want him to stick around.’_

_‘You won’t feel that way if he is what Ace thinks he is.’_

You had all of these thoughts, and you were going to have to pretend everything was fine when Ani was around. You didn’t want him suspicious of you, just in case.

You’d never been so divided. You still had hope that none of it was true, but Ace’s words and your nightmare instilled paranoia inside you. 

You’re now at the steps that lead to the front door. For a moment you think of leaving alone, but then weigh the fact that you feel more comfortable around Ani when you can keep an eye on him. So when you ask him, “Do you want to go to the market with me?” you’re satisfied by his yes. 

As usual, the market is teeming with creatures and humans, whether native to the planet or not. Stands are lined up at each side of the street for five blocks. At the end of each block, whether it be the left or right intersection, more shops can be found. The market’s products range from fine imported jewelry to technologies that can quickly thaw your speeder’s engine in a jam. Anything you needed you could find here. If it wasn’t here, it wasn’t anywhere on the planet.

You explained all this to Ani as the two of you walked along the cobblestone streets. It had snowed early this morning, but all the foot traffic had turned it into grey mush. He listened intently, intrigued by it all.

The pair of you walked around and you introduced him to the shopkeepers that you knew. You said hi to Gorge, who was surprised to see you outside of a stand instead of in one. You told him about Ace, and Ba Reila was moaning about it sadly as you left for another stand. 

There were a lot of hidden treasures in this market, but also a bunch of junk. You knew which ones to avoid, and you told Ani as much to make sure he wouldn’t get swindled. You didn’t need anything yourself, but you bought Ani a poncho that ended at a point in the front and back after seeing his interest in a tan one. 

It looked great on him. There was only one hole at the top for his neck to go through, and it covered his torso and the top half of his legs. The fabric was woven Bantha fur instead of a straight skinning, so it was a bit more expensive, but you didn’t mind. With it he looked like he fit in a little more here. You mused to yourself if he liked that aspect of it. 

The pair of you were getting ready to leave when you heard commotion coming further down the main street. People parted a path as two young human girls ran hand in hand. You and Ani didn’t move, and soon they were right in front of you.

They latch onto your jacket. Looking at them, you quickly realize they’re twins. Their eyelids have no creases, and their mouths are small and still have baby teeth inside. They can’t be as old to even have double digits in their age. Their eyes hold desperation, and they cry, “Help us!”

Quickly you move out of the streets near untouched snow. 

“What’s happening?” Ani asks the girls.

“This guy is chasing us!” one says. Her black pigtails flop as she looks around for him.

You narrow your eyes, looking at the other, who is keeping a tight fist by her side. “Why is he chasing you?”

The twins glance at each other, communicating with their eyes. They decide not to say anything to either of you.

Raising your eyebrows, you hold out your palm expectantly. The girl in front of you ducks her head and puts her hand above yours, then releases what’s in her fist.

It’s a simple wooden toy. You hand it to Ani for him to hide under his poncho as you hear someone’s yelling becoming louder. A young but large Boosodian comes further into view, screaming and shaking a wooden plank. 

Ani steps up before you can. The creature swings at him with the wood, but Ani makes him drop it by twisting his arm. You shield the girls with your body. They peer around you.

“What’s the problem?” Ani asks calmly.

“These little runts stole from my father’s stand!” He points to the twins.

“Oh, you’re so convinced?”

“I saw them!”

Ani puts up a hand. “Turn around, and go. You will leave them alone,” he enunciates.

“I’ll… leave them alone,” he says almost shamefully, then leaves the way he came.

You’re quite shocked at how he intimidated the Boosodian enough to leave. But the girls celebrate once he’s gone, jumping around Ani. He looks bashful as they praise him; it’s quite a sight. 

They calm down, both singing a thank you. Ani gives them the toy.

“Hey,” you address them. They look at you. “Don't be thieving…” you waggle a finger, “if you can't do it right.” You wink at them. They’re not sure whether to laugh or not, but they do smile, and their eyes gleam up at you with the utmost respect. 

They run off, one giggling as the other says, “Let’s go play!”

You turn to Ani, crossing your arms. “Wow, I’m impressed.”

“Oh,” he dismisses, waving a hand. “Don’t mention it. Let’s get home.”

You’re off the main street, but he knows the direction of the house and starts walking among the snow. You follow behind, but quickly get an idea.

You crouch low to the ground, gathering a handful of snow. You feel the cold seep through the gloves and into your bones, but it’s worth it as it collides into Ani’s back once you throw it. Most of the snow falls off of his poncho, but some flurries stick.

He spins around to you faster than humanly possible, the most confused you’ve ever seen him. You laugh.

“Y’know,”, you say, “I saw a little bit of myself in those girls. I miss being a kid.” You start to create another snowball. 

He crosses his arms, watching you pack snow into a sphere. “Does that have something to do with you assaulting me with snow?”

“You’ve never had a snowball fight?” you gasp. “What kind of kid were _you_?”

Finally a playful smile grows on his face. He’s starting to mimic you, leaning down to grab snow. 

“If you haven’t noticed, I’ve never seen snow before Kijimi. Much less felt it.”

“Oh,” you snicker, “I’ve noticed.” You aim your ball at his face, but he merely tilts his head and dodges. When he throws his, you run out of the way. You keep your eyes on him as he’s circling. Even as you pick up snow, he doesn’t move an inch without you noticing.

You’re an experienced snow-baller, but Ani’s a fast learner, and that makes for equal ground on the playing field. After five minutes, neither of you are clean of snow.

He cringes in disappointment every time you hit him, and laughs in victory when he hits you. You taunt and tease him when he misses, but every time you do, he seems to land his next shot. You’re positive he’s not pulling punches; he packs snow _hard_. As for you, even as a kid, it was life or death. The two of you were evenly matched.

You both determined the game a draw when you simultaneously hit each other in the chest with snow. You smile the whole way home, but go quickly before either of you get sick.

Once home and after shaking off the snow from your clothes and hanging them by the fireplace to dry, you and Ani sit in your conversation pit. You're setting up clay pieces for Djarik as he rolls up his grey sleeves. 

The remainder of the day is spent solely with him. You beat him at a few games, you each sit beside each other while reading books, and you have dinner together. All night you’ve noticed that he’d take glances at you. You tried not to look back, worried what you might see in those ocean eyes. 

But even without looking, you were becoming further enamored by the beauty in his personality. He had wit and he had strength. He was kind and interesting. He was a little lost in thought at times, but you were, too. You could only imagine why, but neither of you had pushed. 

As you were lying in bed, you almost completely forgot about your suspicions. You felt contentment.

It was a good day, you concluded. But it would not be a good night.


	7. #7

Yet another bad dream sticks to the inside of your mind as you’re awoken by it. It’s not as gruesome or vivid as last night, but it exhausts your mind and body all the same. For a moment you consider lying in bed for the entirety of the day, but you’re easily reminded of the work you have waiting for you. And, with no distraction, you’d dwell heavily on unwanted thoughts. 

So, by the end of the day, you could safely say that despite brooding a little, you got some work done. You had Ani delivering blasters or receiving parts so you could have the workspace mostly to yourself. You knew you couldn’t feasibly avoid him forever, but you were scared your impulsivity would come out and confront him before you were truly ready. 

He seems to sense you running around him, though, and asks to help you finish up the day. To avoid suspicion, you let him. Your guard is up and you keep your distance, but subtly. 

You’re working on filing down the height of the barrel while Ani scrolls through the datapad. A stainless steel ruler is in front of him, but you don’t feel comfortable reaching for it as he sits there. You hate that you don’t feel comfortable. Just yesterday you two were running around, taunting each other with snow. Now, it feels as if he’s a planet away. And you know it’s all because of your suspicions. It felt good to ignore them, but it wasn’t smart to.

“Could you hand me that ruler?” you ask, still fiddling with the blaster. He moves in your peripheral. The ruler seems inches away from him as he reaches for it, but then it’s as if his hand stops moving and it comes to him instead. Were you seeing things?

You turn your head to him quickly, but the tool is already twirling between his fingers. He smiles and hands it to you. You take it from him after a moment of hesitation.

Shaking away what you determine as exhaustion, you stand the ruler up next to the barrel. The height is perfect. You begin to assemble the remaining parts together. You wish to do this in silence so you can concentrate, but Ani interrupts you, leaning in to speak as if there was someone to overhear. 

“What’s wrong?” he asks, putting down the pad. “You seem bothered. Unfocused.”

You sigh, not looking him in the face. “I’ve been having… troubling nightmares,” you admit. You continue to piece the gun together.

He raises an eyebrow. “Memories, premonitions, or aimless ones?”

“A little bit of everything,” you answer truthfully. But you don’t want this to be about you. You look up at him. “You ever have anything like that?”

Ani hums. “Maybe. But as of late, I’ve been having wonderful dreams. Dreams of… you.”

He’s leaning in further, slowly closing the gap between the two of you. His eyes are trained on yours, but you can’t tell exactly what feelings they hold. 

Looking into the blue, you so desperately want to lean in, just as he did. You wanted to know what the consequence would be. Yet another part of you wants to demand the truth from him: was he really a Jedi?

Time is up before you can decide. He leans in further, but you back away, taking your now-completed blaster with you.

“I… I’m going to do some test shots outside,” you divert.

Then you leave him, not having the courage to turn around to see his reaction.

You exit through the backdoor of the house after going up the stairs. Your yard was filled with straw dummies and thick-papered targets. You shake and dust the snow off of them both, then use the hour before sunset expending blaster fire.

When you’re back inside, you head straight for your bed. You don’t say goodnight to Ani, nor does he to you. 

Your last thought before sleeping is wondering if he will dream of you again tonight. 

Hours later, your body shoots upright in your bed as the real world slowly comes back into view. Sensations return to you one at a time. You stare blankly at a loose thread in your blanket as you wait for your heartbeat to relax. It was frustrating that this was how your nights were spent.

You decide to get up, shivering as you throw on your robe and house shoes. Your mouth is dry, so you head for the kitchen.

You wouldn’t make the mistake of sitting down at the table again; your neck was still sore from the other night. So instead, you take your cup - a clay one, this time - and wander to the front door. You heard the snow lightly falling when you woke up, and you would only watch for a few moments while you finished your water.

You stand under the awning to protect yourself from the snow, but flinch when you see a figure about half a klick away. 

You’re quick to realize it’s Ani. His usual dark robes create a vast contrast against the white snow that falls on him.

He’s doing a flurry of movements you can only assume is martial arts. You can’t say you’re very surprised. All of that muscle had to come from somewhere. (Not that you were constantly looking.)

You think to call out to him, but you don’t want him to lose his focus. What’s more, watching him move was enchanting. 

He sheds his hooded cloak, throwing it to the side. You catch a silver glimmer against his hip, and he unlatches it from his belt. He wields it with two hands, then in the press of a button, a blue rod emerges from the hilt. The buzz of energy penetrates your ears, and the sound is unbearable. You’re frozen in fear.

In quick bursts he swings it through the air, and your eyes are attached to the light’s every movement. He seems relentless. Every cut, slash, and slice feels like a threat.

Your breath catches in your throat as you back away instinctively. You trip over a pile of snow and curse. You scramble to stand up, but Ani’s noticed you by then, which only makes your heartbeat accelerate in complete terror.

(Y/N)?” he questions.

You raise your hands over your face in protection and surrender, before darting inside.

(Y/N)!” he shouts. You hear the deactivation of the sword, then the small thump as it falls into the snow. 

Ani runs after you, and you don’t have enough time to lock the door; his footsteps are too close. Instead, you reach for one of the many spots in your house where a blaster is kept hidden. You feel your head clear with it in your hand, but not by much. You point it at the steps where he emerges moments later, calmly calling out your name.

You don’t take your eyes off of him for even a second.

“What’s going on?” he says, voice steady. “It’s just me.”

In those blue irises, you see pain and confusion. You wonder what he sees in yours. Your emotions are too mixed to distinguish each one.

Had you made Ani into someone he wasn’t? Had you subconsciously ignored things that didn’t line up with the good perception you had of him, just so you could have a friend, or someone to care about? 

“Just you…” you mutter, tears rapidly running down your face. “You, a Jedi!” A shaky breath gives you the opportunity to collect yourself. “You don’t belong here. Get out.”

He doesn’t move at your demand, so you wield your gun with two hands instead. It’s not set to stun, but you don’t care. 

“ _Get out_ ,” you repeat, anger and fear contorting your features. In your head, you’re screaming ‘ _please_ ’.

Your vision blurs from tears and you close your eyes. When you reopen them, Ani is gone.

Now alone, you let yourself go completely, sobbing uncontrollably on the staircase in the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had trouble with this chapter... but i hope you enjoyed it anyway.


	8. #8

It has been three days now since you last saw Ani. He was not just Ani the stranger anymore. He was Ani, the Jedi.

Jedi, Jedi, Jedi. That word was stuck on repeat in your mind, along with images, feelings, and sounds that you’d fought so hard to repress.

You thought you were past this. Yet with one ignition of a hot saber, you couldn’t stop thinking, couldn’t stop remembering. 

You worked alone now, but your blasters were the only thing you could distract yourself with. You had a one-track mind when you concentrated on them, which is exactly what you wanted. But lately, sleep was scarce, due to both your workload and recent dreams.

So that’s how you found yourself here at Bique’s, with a scalding cup of caf in your calloused, icy hands. It tasted awful, but you wanted to be awake. Just a few sips, and you’d return home to create your next project.

You watch yourself blink slowly in the reflection of your drink. You’re colored black and grey, a true mirroring of how you feel. Your eyes are slightly bloodshot, equal parts of your lack of sleep and fits of crying. You felt ashamed to be so weakened by this. 

The two way doors of the kitchen slam open. The sound makes you flinch, looking up immediately. You’re hyper-aware of your gun resting at your hip.

But it’s just Bique. He was a bulky Weequay, who you’d never seen without that grease-splattered cooking apron. He wasn’t a native of Kijimi, but seeing how long he’s been running this beat-up bistro, he might as well be. He was a friend to everyone, and seeing the way he was shambling over to you, he was about to be your best one. You didn’t even try to hide how pathetic you looked.

He scooted into the booth across from you, propping an elbow on the diner table so he could prop his head up. 

“What’s got you down, champ?”

You look away so you can lie. “Oh, nothing.”

“Nah, nah, nah,” he scolds, a smile on his face. “I’ve only got five minutes before the Porg eggs are done cookin’. Don’t dawdle.”

You chuckle dryly. You’re not sure how you could cram all your feelings about Ani in just five minutes. He became a friend, a partner to work with... Maybe a small piece of your heart was falling in love. But then came the deception, the fear, the self-beratment of how you could’ve been so stupid to trust so easily.

“You know me, I don’t like making mistakes. And I don’t like being alone, even if it’s hard to admit.”

“Ah, you miss Lil’ Ace. That’s right, he left. But I imagine the mistakes you’re talking about are more than just forgetting to tighten a screw, eh?” He chortles from his gut, loud and hearty.

You exhale, “Oh, yes.” 

“Listen, kiddo. Ain't nobody gonna know what you’re feeling unless you say it. They maybe won’t understand, but at least they can listen. You just need a good ear.” He rubs your hand. His leather skin is rough, but it’s still comforting. 

He slaps his other hand on the table, then stands. “If you need me, I’ll be here when we close up. For now,” he points a thumb at himself, “I’ve got a date with more Porgs.” He looks behind you. “And I think your friend’s here.”

Bique slips back into the kitchen as you whip your head around. 

Ani stands far, waiting for you to take notice of him. You swallow the rock in your throat. You stiffen as he walks towards you, veins popping up on your hands as you tighten your grip on the mug. If he feels anything about the past few days, his facial expression doesn’t reflect it. Even still, your breath is taken away. 

His sky blue eyes seem to illuminate brighter than ever, and your heart betrays your brain when you think about their beauty. His braid peeks out from the hood over his head. Once he’s closer, he says your name between his lips. You watch as they move. But you still tremble in fear. You try to hide it, but you’re sure he sees.

When he sits you don’t protest, despite knowing you should. He removes his hood so you can get a full view of his face. Simply, he states, “You are right about me.”

Your heart is racing, but you compose yourself. Under the table your hands are sweating.

“So you are a Jedi,” you breathe shakily.

“I am a Jedi,” he repeats you, “but I am not with them anymore.”

“That…” You shake your head. “That doesn’t matter. Where Jedi go, the Sith follow.”

He seems genuinely surprised by your words. “The Sith? You know about them?”

You swallow thickly, choosing to remain silent. 

Ani leans forward further, hands flat on the diner table in between you. 

“The Sith are in alliance with the Separatists,” he says as if you don’t understand. But you understand just fine.

“A war with the Separatists and the Republic won’t mean anything to us here in Kijimi,” you explain. “We’re a neutral planet who self-governs.”

“If the Sith accumulate enough power and put it towards Separatist forces, it won’t just mean trouble for Coruscant. We’d be talking about a galactic war. Neutral planet or not, that war will affect Kijimi.”

Silence overtook you. You knew he was right. You could imagine it too easily for you to justify dismissing it. 

His head was low, and his eyes pleaded up at you. 

“Tell me, please.”

You try not to make eye contact with him. But he places a hand on your arm, and your eyes lock onto his just as he says your name. That seems to be your weakness; you hate it. Your throat seems incapable to form words as your mind races.

Before you knew that he was a Jedi, Ani had earned your trust. The betrayal burned inside of you the moment you saw him ignite that lightsaber. It was festering in you, even now as you looked into his blue eyes. But...

“I won’t talk about it here.” You rise from your seat as you say it, his hand slipping from you. He nods, and you turn to leave. You hear him follow behind you. 

When outside, you raise your head to look at Ani straight on. His face is blank and patient, waiting for you.

“I won’t have my back exposed to a Jedi.” you mutter, looking at the now-grey slush under your feet. The moisture tints your brown boots a shade darker. You don’t look back up until you see his feet pass yours and head in the direction of your home. 

The snow crunches under your shoes. You mimic his footsteps, your footfalls landing at the same time his do. Neither of you speak.

The entire walk you keep your hand on your hip where your gun is placed. You watch his every step. He wears that long robe, but you can see his lightsaber under the fabric, dangling from his hip, swaying with him as he moves. It makes you shiver. What kinds of things has he done with that, you wonder.

Before your racing thoughts come to an end, you and Ani are standing beside the top of your house. You approach the trap door that leads inside. He stays a distance away, and you’re sure to keep him in your peripheral as you unlock the door. You stand and wait until he comes forward and descends a few steps before you follow suit.

Now in the main area of the house, you stop. He’s standing far enough away that your nerves settle. But then he looks at you, and your heart begins to thump loudly in your eardrums once again.

You clench your jaw to keep your entire body from trembling. Silently, you remove your coat, then reach for your blaster slowly with your right hand. At the same time, your left hand is raised in surrender. As gently as possible, you lay it down onto the table. There’s a long stretch of silence where neither of you move. 

Your breath hitches when he finally removes his own weapon from his side. A wave of regret passes through you as you see him do this, but you’re comforted by the warmth at the side of your calf where your emergency blaster was hiding inside your tall boot. You were brave, not stupid.

With the utmost care, he disarms himself, leaving the lightsaber on the round dining table. He shows you his palms so that you can see they are empty.

“I won’t hurt you,” he says. You want to believe him, but you’re not entirely sure that you do.

You don’t say anything to that, and you lead him up the small set of stairs and into your bedroom.

“Sit,” you command him, pointing to the rattan armchair in the corner of the room. He does so after removing his hooded robe and placing it on the chair’s back. You make him wait as you rummage in your closet. 

You come back out with a rectangular box and set it on the wooden desk to the side of him. He’s quiet, but the curiosity in his eyes tells you he has a question at the tip of his tongue. You begin to speak while searching through the contents of the box.

“When I was young, my parents and I lived in a village in the northern sector. Around that area where we lived, blizzards and hailstorms were common, but dangerous. A terrible crying siren would ring throughout the village when bad weather was approaching. I was only about seven or eight years old at the time, and the siren scared me so awfully I would hide in the dumbwaiter until the storms had passed. 

“I spent a lot of time in that dark dumbwaiter - that winter season was harsh. One day I noticed a glowing space between the bricks on the inside wall. When I pulled out the loose brick, I found an item covered in dust. It was shaped like a tall pyramid, with a frame made of stone and unfamiliar etches on glass. Beside it was a worn journal of leather and a torn scrap of paper.”

From inside your box you find the dark red journal you spoke of. The pages are tattered by no fault of your own - it looked the same today as it had all those years ago. Feeling the old leather makes you frown. The emotion is a strong contrast to when you had first discovered it. You hand it to Ani, as if it would get rid of the feeling.

He fingers the pages, skimming them with confused but observant eyes. The book contains letters and symbols you’ve never made sense of. But seeing him not understand either puts you at a loss.

“What is this?” he mumbles. His dark eyebrows are furrowed.

“You tell me, Jedi,” you challenge, but he doesn’t respond.

He continues to try to look for something familiar as you continue.

“My mother and father were just as intrigued as I, so we took it to a translator at our local station. We didn’t have the credits for the journal to be translated, but we had enough for the note to be decoded.”

Again from the box you pull out the torn paper. It’s wrinkled and the ink is faded. The written translation is on the page after, and you read it out loud as Ani listened, his eyes studying you.

_“‘To he who discovers this wayfinder, forgive me. I have no choice but to store this here for safekeeping in the hopes that no one who wields the powers of the dark side of the Force will discover it. The Sith must not find it at any cost. It is in your care now, but a Jedi will return for it, someday. Have patience, and keep it hidden. Believe in the light, and believe in the Jedi.’”_

It’s hard to keep your voice steady. Unwanted memories were already creeping into the core of your brain from their old hiding spots. 

“I thought nothing of it at the time, and my parents suggested that we store it in a place where we could keep a better eye on it. I agreed, and it found a place in the study. I fiddled and inspected the wayfinder, book, and note for hours on end, imagining what would happen when this Jedi would come retrieve it.

“It was only a few days later that my mother came home in a hurry as the blizzard sirens went off across town. My father was behind her. Panic was set deep into their faces as they ushered me inside the dumbwaiter. The way they held onto me tight for a long moment before pulling up the panel to hide me had something terrible churning inside my stomach.”

As hard as you try, your voice betrays you when it falters over certain words. You lean against the table in front of you, your hands gripping the sides. 

“Something far worse was happening than a bad storm. I didn’t understand that until I heard an unfamiliar voice in my home. It was a man’s voice, dark and deep and threatening.”

That same voice invades your ears, and you fight the urge to cover them with your hands. 

“He was here with a purpose. Somehow, before he even said it, I knew. He was in search of the Jedi wayfinder.”

You can still feel the weight of the relic as if it were in your hands at this very moment. 

“Through the slit I had carved into the panel I watched as my father relinquished the wayfinder from the study, but… This man... I saw his face as he ignited a red lightsaber from both ends.”

The whooshing sound of the weapon being activated makes your skin crawl. You’re reminded of it in the same way you were a few days ago, with Ani in the dark and you stumbling backwards into the snow. Fear, it seemed, was the most difficult to shake.

“He was a Nightbrother from Dathomir with red skin and black tattoos. He killed my parents right before me, and destroyed the ancient relic with the closing of his fist.”

The horrific image of the red plasma being thrust into your mother and father’s hearts was engraved into the darkness you saw when you closed your eyes. Tears were quick to form now that you were too weak to hold them at bay. 

“The man had left shortly after communicating with someone over a hologram. I couldn’t see who, nor did I care to. 

“I must have sat in that dumbwaiter for hours, silent and immovable… When I finally collected the courage to leave safety, I ran for help. But outside, as snow came down relentlessly, it covered bodies. The white landscape mixed with the blood of my neighbors. Their homes were destroyed, along with themselves. He had killed people in my village in search of the wayfinder. All because of this _Jedi._ ”

Your anger finally gives you the courage to look him in the eye, hot tears streaming down your cheeks and meeting at your chin until they fall into a small puddle.

“So tell me, Ani, if you were me, what would be your worst fear: a villain who takes everything from you, or a so-called hero who never shows up to save you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hii friendly readers. it's been a little while, and i'm sorry for that. i hope this chapter makes up for it! i'm in the middle of a personal health scare, but i think things will be okay. thanks for reading this far; i hope to keep you all on the edge of your seats! or, as for people like me, beds!


	9. #9

Ani can’t think of the right words to say to you. You’re not sure you want him to speak at all. Nothing he could say would make it right. 

“I’m sorry.” He stands, but he doesn’t approach you further, not even when you back away. “Perhaps you can find comfort in the fact that that man is dead. A Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi killed him in battle many years ago.”

You cross your arms. “What kind of comfort is that? How will that bring back my parents?”

“I would think that it would put you more at ease. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

You scoff, rolling your eyes and turning your head. “Another Sith will just replace him, if one hasn’t already.”

“The Jedi Order does its best to protect the galaxy from the dark side.”

“You’ll excuse me if I don’t believe that.” You glare at him now, hands trembling. Your voice raises the more you speak. “My parents weren’t Jedi. I am not a Jedi. No one who died by that man’s hand that day was a Jedi! Yet they were killed for a Jedi’s sin, by a Sith!”

You step towards him, hot fury throbbing inside your entire being. Your whole body is a wound, suddenly as fresh as the day it was cut. It never did know how to heal in the correct way.

You’re standing squarely in front of him now. You don’t allow yourself to feel small, despite having to look up at him. He stares back at you, waiting.

A new query strikes your resentful curiosity. “Why did you really come to this planet?” You point at the book in his hands. “Did some _‘force’_ send you here? For this?” You push it towards his chest and he stumbles backwards. Bitterness laces your wavering voice. “Well, you’re ten years too late, Jedi. But you can have it. You can have it and leave back to Coruscant to tell your Jedi Order, _‘Mission accomplished’._ Forbid the maker you ever mention the bloodshed it's been through to get in your hands.”

You’ve planted anger inside him, easily recognizable by the cinch in his brows and the way his jaw clenches. 

“No one sent me here!” he shouts, slamming the book on the table. “I left the Jedi because I wanted to get away!”

You quiet at this information, giving him a glance before you look away again. “What?”

“I left,” he says again, more to himself than to you. “It was a decision I made for myself.”

“I don’t understand,” you whisper when he silences.

“There are things I’ve hidden from you.”

You want to scold him on how obvious that is, but you’ve exhausted the fight inside yourself. “To what extent?” you ask instead.

He grabs your wrist and leads you to sit on the bed. You pull away once he sits next to you. 

Ani stares deep into your eyes. “My real name is Anakin Skywalker. And if what everyone says is true, I am the Jedi’s Chosen One.”

You’re lost in thought for a moment as you process what he says.

“Anakin Skywalker,” you eventually try out under your breath. He watches your lips move to his name.

You study his face. Somehow both of the names you knew him by each fit him perfectly. You still preferred Ani; to say Anakin Skywalker would only remind you of his Jedi origins, which you still weren’t ready to trust. Ani your friend was Anakin the Jedi. You weren’t certain they could coexist as one.

“The Force that surrounds us has no peace, and I’m told I will be the one to fix it,” he continues. “But as of late, I’ve never felt so disconnected from it, and from the other Jedi. Those who teach me won’t allow me to progress. Sometimes I feel as if they wished there was someone else to bring this balance. They say I’m too impatient, too reckless, but I know I’m ready!” He slams his fists to his thighs, eyebrows furrowing further in anger.

“Oh,” is all you can say as you try to comprehend.

“The Force is not in harmony with itself. But neither am I. That’s why I left.”

Conflict stirs in your chest as he speaks. You want to comfort Ani, but without Anakin. Yet it was impossible. They were the same person, and trying to separate them in your mind would only cause more pain.

“I think the Council expects me to return. I don’t know if I will.”

Tears pool into the corners of his eyes. Seeing the hurt in them gives you more clarity.

Ani was a Jedi this entire time. Despite that, you still became friends. He was no better or worse than you; he was still a human after all, Jedi or not. A human that was in pain. That was enough for you to decide.

You set a warm hand on Anakin’s fist. His eyes widen in surprise, and tears drop from his face when he looks at you.

“I’m not going to pretend I know half of what you’re talking about,” you say, “but I know it must be terrible.”

Ani focuses his breath so that it steadies. You look at each other for a long moment. Your heartbeat is in your fingertips. You wonder if he can feel it, too.

You have so many more questions for him, but you voice the one at the forefront of your mind. “Why did you keep this from me?” 

He runs a hand through his hair. “Well, from my first impression, you weren’t anyone I could trust.”

You want to frown at that, but it was true. 

He continues. “But then we became… friends. And I didn’t have to be a Jedi or the Chosen One when I was with you. I could just be myself, and you found that enough. Or, at least, I think you did. I found a lot of freedom here, something I didn’t know I badly needed.”

You nod, trying to accept his answer. 

Ani sighs. “I didn’t know about the wayfinder or the book. Or you and your family. Your village… I’m sorry that the Jedi’s ignorance made you suffer.”

You let the apology sink into your soul. It’s not enough, but what could be?

“I think I’ll always harbor resentment against the Jedi,” you admit truthfully. As an afterthought, you add, “But I still like you, Anakin Skywalker.”

His face seems to turn a shade of pink and he looks away. “Just Ani is fine.”

“Okay, Ani.” 

He smiles with purity; it’s impossible to ignore. So you smile back. It’s the first you’ve truly smiled in the past few days.


	10. #10

_You’re inside a haze of awakening. Your eyes open to see a blur of green and spots of blue. High trees surround you, their leaves rustling noisily in the wind. There’s not a cloud in the sky, but the movement of each leaf gives you enough to focus on. It’s warm and peaceful and fascinating; you’d never known this side of nature._

_In a short time you realize you’re lying in mud and dirt. You think of getting up, but your strength feels reduced to nothing. You convince yourself to take a few more moments of rest, but a voice full of urgency calls your name._

_It’s Ani. He hovers over you, staring at you with an intense blue gaze._

_“I found you,” he says with satisfaction. He grips your wrist and pulls you upright, his mouth a thin line and his eyebrows knit together. “Come with me,” he demands. You’re not sure you want to, but you don’t fight against him when he begins to drag you along the forest._

_You’re unable to have a full view of the scenery; it’s a flurry of brown bark and green leaves as you run. You open your mouth to tell him to slow down, but he stops in front of a wall of thick, overgrown vines._

_He shouts in frustration. Suddenly he is igniting his blue lightsaber with his free hand. You flinch, your heart immediately dropping inside the pit of your body. He begins wildly slashing the foliage in front of him._

_“Ani…” you murmur, your body starting to tremble._

_He lets go of you to wield the lightsaber with both hands to better combat the vines. You rub your wrist. He had a tight hold on you._

_The leafy branches disintegrate by the heat of the saber. Ashes fall to the ground, and you scream as one of them ignites a fire._

_“Ani!” you yell at him in an effort to get his attention. He ignores you and the flames, continuing to create a path. Trees are beginning to waste away. “Anakin!”_

_You pull at his shoulder so he’ll turn around. When he does, his eyes are a terrifying mix of orange and red. They’re the same eyes that have haunted you before. They pierce through your very soul._

_He looks around as if he had just noticed the fire, but doesn’t seem at all concerned about its spread. He’s cleared a path, and is eerily calm as he steps into it. The light from his saber dissipates into the hilt._

_“Trust me,” he says simply, extending his hand. It’s an open palm for you to take._

_Around you, the life in the forest is setting further ablaze. Smoke is forming from the wood in dark grey clouds. Trees have fallen over one another in fiery, inescapable chaos. You look back to Anakin._

_What other choice do you have?_

_You take his hand. He smiles at you, and in a blink, his eyes are blue and beautiful once again._

_The fire engulfs the forest, and you try not to look back as Ani leads you by the hand into an open field._

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After a long internal debate that night, you had let Anakin stay. 

You had asked for him to relinquish his lightsaber. You didn’t want it, but you felt unsafe when he had it. He hesitated at your request, but then offered it out for you to take. A twist in your heart forbade you to touch it, as if it would shame your late parents to wield something so murderous and intimate. So instead, you told him to lay it down on your bedside table, where it would remain until you felt safe. If the time would ever come, that is. 

It had been a few, cautious days since then. The two of you weren’t keen on speaking about much of anything except formalities and the talk that was required for working. You were still having dreams, but they had started to become more strange than scary. Anakin was in them more often than not. You wondered with intense curiosity if he was still dreaming of you too, like he had said before. Maybe they were as bizarre as yours, but you’d never ask.

The only full conversation you’ve had with him was the first morning after, when he had asked if things were irreversibly changed between the two of you.

“I don’t know,” you had whispered as the sunlight began to spill into the ceiling window. “As much as I hate to admit it, you still scare me.” 

But as the days went on, it was becoming less true.

You had been leaving Ani at home while you went out. It was a silent way for him to earn your trust, whether he realized it or not.

He had said he wasn’t sent by the Jedi to retrieve the old journal that was in your possession, or the wayfinder that wasn’t. You found it hard to believe initially, but the book had been left untouched ever since. You gave him enough opportunity to take it and leave. Yet he remained.

You tried to conjure up reasons why all morning as you got dressed, but none were logical enough. While you had reason for your wariness and hate towards the Jedi, you had to remind yourself Anakin was the first one you had truly met. And he wasn’t so bad, was he?

You mulled this over as you descended the stairs and called his name. Immediately he popped his head out from the book he was reading on the sofa.

His eyes on you now, you suddenly felt nervous. Not from fear, but from bashfulness. Your eyes flit from him and the stairs leading outside. 

“I was going to Bique’s for some caf,” you explained slowly, finding distraction in fingering the soft fur inside your hood. “Do you want to come along?”

Ani looked puzzled, as if it was the last scenario he thought would become reality today. But he nodded straight away, a sweet smile forming on his lips. Once he donned his poncho the two of you set off for the bistro.

As you entered, he confessed that he had never had caffeine before. 

“The Jedi Order forbids it,” he says as you walk to your usual table. “They see it as a temptation, a potential addiction.”

You guffaw. “Oh, now I’m definitely gonna make you try it.”

A droid speeds over to the pair of you as soon as you sit down, more than happy to hear you say, “Just two cups of caf, please.”

It rolls back to you in no time, and you grab your respective cups, both of which have Bique’s grinning face carved into the ceramic. You also take the tray of cream and sugar, briefly explaining their purpose to Ani.

“Caf has a strong taste. You can add this if you want it sweeter.”

Ani proceeds to sniff his cup and blanches at its heavy scent. He then adds much more creamer than you ever would, turning the liquid a light tan color.

You're meticulous with yours, adding even measurements until it's the way you like it.

It’s still too hot for either of you to drink, so you stir your spoons in them albeit a little awkwardly for a moment.

Ani is the first to burn his mouth, flinching away and then blushing as you chuckle under behind your hand. But one sip doesn’t satisfy him, so despite the heat, he chugs down more. 

You shake your head. “You’re gonna get third degree burns on your tongue.”

“But it tastes wonderful,” he replies.

“You won’t be able to taste anything once your taste buds are gone.”

He shakes his head at you, smiling widely.

He points to your cup after sometime. Steam is still rising from it slowly.

“Did you buy it just to stare at it, (Y/N)?”

You blow on it. “It’s not ready yet.”

Ani hums in dissatisfaction. He splays his fingers out, then slowly lifts up his arm. He commands you to watch before you can ask any questions. The wooden spoon from your caf is now fully in front of your face, floating between the two of you. The liquid on the rounded end drips into your cup with a rhythm like a metronome.

Very slowly and mouth agape, you reach for the spoon that’s suspended in midair. You just barely touch the hilt with your fingertips before it suddenly flies into Ani’s hand. You draw back in shock as you see him grasping it in front of both of you.

Quickly you look around the bistro. Surely someone else had seen that? But everyone is minding their own conversations, their eyes anywhere but your table in the back of the restaurant. 

He places the spoon on the plate under your cup, smirking cheekily at your dumbfounded reaction.

Next, he lifts up your caf with his mind. The cup is stable, but the liquid floats in the air and swirls as he twists his hand. You blink furiously as if it would go away if you closed your eyes. But your caffeinated drink remains suspended in the air, along with Ani’s controlling hand.

Shaking your head, you raise your mug up until the drink spills back in.

You scoff at him, trying to play off your surprise as annoyance. “That’s enough for today,” you declare, then bring the full cup up to your mouth and drink so you could hide your growing smile.

“Some Jedi power?” you guess.

He nods, brows slightly knitting in worry. “Does it make you.. upset?”

Your heart warms at his consideration. 

“Um,” you pause. “Your magic has to grow on me.” You push down his hand to lay on the table. “And definitely don't do it in public.”

He relaxes, then replies, “The Force is greater than magic. But duly noted.”

Once it becomes quiet between the two of you again, you slip your fingers away from his to hold your mug. Ani looks at his now lone hand and frowns, but just briefly before meeting your eyes again and giving you a smile.

“Thank you for showing me this.” He tilts his head to refer to his empty cup. “I quite like it.”

You swallow the last remaining drops of your caf and dig through your coat pocket for change. 

“I’m glad. But trust me, Ani, the caf from Kijimi isn’t even the good stuff.” You stand and grin. “Let’s go. I’ll tell you about the beginning of Ace and I’s coffee addiction on the way.”

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

“Oh man, I swear, we didn’t sleep a wink that night.” You laugh as you unlock the door to your house. Maybe it wasn’t as funny to Ani as it was to you, but even if that was the case, he was still smiling at you. 

You both descend the steps. 

“The next morning was horrible! We-” You stop your story as soon as you hear your holoprojector chime rhythmically. You approach it and answer, happy to see Ace’s smile shine back at you.

“Hey!” you greet, “How’s big city life?”

He chuckles. “Just fine. How are things on your end? Everything okay?”

Behind you, Ani steps into the frame of the holocamera, the color blue glowing onto his face and body just like yours. You look up at him. He gives a hesitant smile at Ace and waves. 

Deciding that everything _is_ okay, you nod. “All good here.”

There’s a subtle change in Ace’s features, one you would have never noticed had you not known him for as long as you did. Wordlessly he was asking if you were being honest. 

Looking straight into his eyes and between the sheen of the hologram, you mouth, “I promise.”

You change the subject. “It’s actually funny you call.”

Ani adds, “(Y/N) was just telling me a story about the two of you.”

Ace raises an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

You giggle. “Remember years ago on holiday when Raz brought those expensive caf beans? I forgot - where were they imported from?”

He grins at the memory, exhaling a chuckling breath. “Some core world, Atrisia.”

“Atrisia!” you exclaim, immediately recalling. “I was telling Ani how we drank it all before she even got a cup! She was so mad she made us-” You and Ace say your next words simultaneously, “-each earn her a bag.” The two of you laugh wholeheartedly. 

You sigh joyfully after exhausting your lungs. “I haven’t ever had caf that delicious.”

“Me neither,” Ace agrees. “But I didn’t call to talk about coffee. I’ve got something big I need you for.”

Ani steps away to let the two of you talk, busying himself with removing his outerwear.

“Okay. Fire away.” You laugh internally at your own blaster pun.

“I’m sure you’ve already seen the posters and fliers for the Snowdrifter Classic.”

You clap your hands together excitedly. The Snowdrifter Classic was both a weapons show and competitive shooting event. It was Kijimi’s most popular source of entertainment. You were particularly thrilled about it this year, considering the fact you wouldn’t be participating. 

“Oh you bet. I already bought a ticket!” you grin.

“Well you’re gonna need a refund,” Ace reveals. “Raz and I need you to compete in the race.”

You frown immediately. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“Look, I’m sorry, but I told some potential customers here that they’d see our blasters in action at the Classic. I made them a promise.”

You’re already shaking your head no. “ _You_ made them a promise. _I_ didn’t!”

“(Y/N),” he begs, dragging a hand over his face in exasperation.

You sigh heavily. He couldn’t really be asking you this, could he? And to do it without him? “Okay, let’s say I compete. Just who is going to be my driver? Where would I even get a pod racer?”

“I’m sure you could find a local in the marketplace to build one for you. And they have droids that could drive.”

“Driving a podracer is not droid work.”

He agrees with a nod of his head, but persists. “Ask around, find someone good. Offer them the prize money. We won’t need it, only need the reputation.”

You tilt your head down and stare at him. You hope your gaze is sharp despite being projected through a hologram. “What makes you think I can win?”

“What makes you think you can’t?”

“You can’t come down here and be my driver?” You pout, hoping it will sell him on a visit to Kijimi.

He shakes his head. “No, but I don’t have any doubts about you. You’ve got the best marksmanship in the entire Midrim, (Y/N). Last time, we just weren’t ready. But you’re smart; I know you can do it.”

You sigh, feeling your opposition chip away. You were really doing this, huh? Now you have so much to get ready for...

“Have you seen anyone new come into town lately?” Ace asks, pulling you away from your growing mental list or preparations.

You say no with a shake of your head. “The race is still a week out.”

“I know. Just be alert. I hate to tell you this but, I heard Jeela is going to be there.”

Jeela... fuck.

Your scowl feels permanently etched into your face. An ache blooms in the left side of your abdomen. 

“Please, I really need you to do this.” 

You raise your voice, “I know, I know. I wasn’t planning on saying no. But-”

Ace shouts happily, interrupting you. “You’ll do awesome. Half of those contestants are bantha fodder anyway.”

“Where am I going to find a pod _and_ a racer?” you finish, throwing your hands up in exasperation. 

You don’t see it, but behind you, Ani’s lips form a childlike grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you're still reading this, thank you!


	11. #11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy new year!

You rub your hands together nervously as you enter your bedroom. With this news, there was so much to prepare for. One week was a very short notice, and you made a mental note to hang this favor over Ace’s head until the next time you needed something. 

You try to think back two years ago. You were full of hopeful anticipation then, but now all that was left in the pit of your stomach was dread.

Suddenly feeling hot, you remove your coat and shoes. You lay on your bed but sit up when you sense a presence in the hallway.

“What’s this talk about a podracer?” Ani questions as he leans against the doorframe of your room, an eyebrow quirked up. You study his face for a moment and come to a confusing conclusion. There’s mischief in those eyes of his. And right at this very moment, you were not going to entertain mischief. 

“I need a podracer, and a person to drive said podracer in a sports competition in exactly one week,” you reply curtly, using two fingers to massage your temple as you stare at the frayed edges of the rug on the floor.

“You need not look further to solve your problem, then.” 

Your brows furrow. You look up at him and watch as he comes to stand in front of you. 

“What?” you ask, since he hasn’t clarified.

Ani speaks steadily as if making sure you understand each word. “I can make a podracer. And I can race for you.” 

Your mouth opens slightly, tongue stuck behind your teeth as you figure out what to say. “I… What? No,” you stammer out, waving your hands and shaking your head. “ That’s not a good idea. This competition isn’t life threatening, but you can get hurt if you don’t know what you’re doing. I have to race with someone I trust to-” 

He stops you with his own voice. “With someone you trust? Am I not trustworthy?” You don’t have to see that he’s glaring at you; you can feel it burning into your skin. 

It’s quiet, and you realize he’s waiting for a response. You weren’t about to reply to his question, because you didn’t know the answer yourself. To sort your feelings about him, whether good or bad, wasn’t a task that could be accomplished anytime soon. Certainly not at this moment, like he wanted. 

You stand up, only realizing how close the two of your bodies were by doing so. Still, that was no reason to back down. You stare back, eyes narrowing. “You didn’t let me finish.”

“I don’t want you to be scared of me,” he goes on, ignoring your statement. “You’ve never been scared of me before, and I don’t like it.”

You fold your hands over your chest and look up at him. If this is the fight he wanted, he was about to get it.

“Don’t blame me, Anakin.”

His eyebrows shoot up at your use of his full name. He raises his voice, “Don’t blame me, either, then! There’s a million planets in the galaxy, and I’m sorry, but the Jedi can only reach so far.” He sighs. “I’m more than just a Jedi. I thought you saw that.”

“I’m _trying_ ,” you sigh, suddenly more exhausted than angry now. “But it’s hard to let go.”

Honesty towards him still felt like vulnerability. Of course he was right, but so were you. 

There’s a stretch of silence. For a moment, you think the conversation is over. But Anakin continues, hands open in front of you. 

“Let me prove it to you, then,” he proposes. “Let me prove that you can trust me. I deserve that much.” 

You comb your fingers through your hair, your eyes glued to the floor. “I… don’t know how you could fully prove it to me.”

Cold fingers tilt your chin upward, and when your eyes make contact with his, it’s an irreversible action.

“Well, you can start by letting me help you win this race.” Hope glints in his eye, and a smile creeps onto his face. 

You push his elbow down so his hand is no longer on your jaw. The way you felt about his touch left you confused, so you’d rather it be gone. If he’s upset about this, he doesn’t show it.

You raise your eyebrows at him. “Why are you so fixated on this race?”

“I haven’t raced since I was very young, in Tatooine's Boonta Eve Classic. I’d like to see if I’ve retained my skills.”

Your eyes widen and your body straightens. “The Boonta Eve Classic? With the pod racers that go up to 900 kilometers an hour? You competed in that? I watched that with my parents years ago!” You gasp and point at him, puzzle pieces slowly assembling into place. “ _You_ were that kid who won the race, weren’t you?” You say his name slowly with astonishment. “Anakin Skywalker... Of course. How’d you do it?”

He chuckles at your bombardment of questions, a smirk sliding over his face. “The connection I have with the Force,” he answers eventually. “I can sometimes see things before they happen.”

You squint at him. “So you cheated?”

“I was a human kid!” he defends. “Every racer had their own advantages. Like that Dug Sebulba - he could use all four of his limbs. He had his arms on the steering wheel and used his legs to control his illegal flamethrower.”

You both laugh at that. 

Heading over to your desk drawer, you fish out an old Snowdrifter Classic flyer. You glance over it then hold it out for Ani to grab. He studies the paper.

“The Snowdrifter is much different than Boonta Eve,” you explain. “It's less about the podracers and more about the weapons. The podracers were just to attract an audience. Everyone loves Malastare’s races, so they thought if they incorporated components from that entertainment, there would be more business. Turns out they were right, and podracers have been used in the Snowdrifter Classic ever since.”

“I’ve never heard of this contest before,” he mutters, eyes still scanning the flyer.

You shrug. “I’m not sure if it’s done anywhere else, but Kijimi is known for it. It’s simple entertainment, for both the participants and spectators. It’s competitive shooting. Some do it to sell their skills. If they’re a great marksman, a spectator could hire them for a job. Others like Ace and I do it to promote our blasters. We always have a spike in sales after the Classic.” Bitterness accents your voice when you add, “That’s why he needs me to do it again this year.”

He hands you the paper back. “You seem... perturbed by that.”

You rake a hand through your hair. “Look… I’ve raced in the Snowdrifter Classic twice. It’s biannual, so I competed when I was 13 and 15.” You begin to fold the faded paper to distract yourself. “The first time, we didn’t do very well. Then, the second time, I was shot. I almost bled to death.” 

With raised eyebrows Anakin looks you over, as if he could find the old gunshot wound on you through the layers of clothes you were wearing. His stare makes you squirm ever so slightly. You cross your arms over yourself. 

“I don’t understand.” His words are slow. “I thought you said that the race wasn’t life-threatening.”

You huff. “Yeah, well, it’s not _intended_ to be. Not everyone plays by the rules.”

The memory of your last race has you feeling light-headed. You take a seat on the bed behind you. Ani swiftly joins you, sparing practically no space between the two of you as he sits down. Your shoulder is in contact with his, and his thigh brushes yours for a brief, heart-quickening moment. 

His eyes are focused on yours. You understand he’s expecting an explanation, but you were already sick of thinking about it. Still, he needed to know. He was going to be your racing partner, after all. 

“It’s a short story, really.” Your words were already sour as they came out of your mouth. “Jeela, a competitor my age from Rustibar had shot me in my side in the last Snowdrifter Classic two years ago. Her pod sidled up next to mine and Ace couldn’t shake her. She sped off ahead of us once I went down. There was a blizzard that year, and during the race it got worse, so we were stranded. Ace stanched my wound and helped me stay awake until we had real medical aid. Afterwards, we requested that she be investigated. They ruled it a mistake, but even the stupidest of fools knows when the stun switch on their blaster is turned off.” You drum your fingers over your knee. “Have you ever seen the face of someone who intends to hurt you? Because I know she meant to end my life. I understood it by the look in her eyes.”

“I’m sorry,” he says after a pause.

You shake your head and expel air through your mouth slowly. The anger inside your chest simmers instead of becoming a boiling mess. “Don’t apologize. It rarely hurts anymore. Besides,” you give him a tiny smile, “with the winner of the Boonta Eve Classic as my racer, we can drag her through the snow.”

Ani chuckles, and it’s a noise as sweet as victory itself.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After that, most of the week was spent on repairing the fact that you were without a podracer. Ani was quick to get to work, and you found it endearing how much he enjoyed it. He had described to you the fun trouble he had as a nine year old building one from scratch, and it was so easy to imagine him as a kid, working from dawn to dusk just because he wanted to. 

You assisted him in whatever way he needed, whether it was running into town to grab materials, holding up plates of metal while he drilled, or reminding him that the moon had been out for hours and he should get some rest. Sometimes he listened, and other times you could hear him attempting to work quietly while you were in bed. Of course, you let him be. It had been the happiest you’d ever seen him, and who were you to stop a wonderful thing like that?

Ani spent most of his time in your workspace, and each time you came around he would already have finished a piece of the pod. You watched him often, but not in ways you used to. Your gazes at him were curious now, instead of stemming from paranoia. It was effortless for him to tease you because of this. He would feel your stare, then shoot a remark at you that broke the steady and dull noise of your machines, all while keeping his eyes focused on the work in front of him with an upward tug of his lips.

You’d sputter, scoff, then leave every time, but you would catch yourself smiling on the way out. Thankfully he didn’t, otherwise there would be more for him to poke fun of. You tried to visit less as the week progressed, knowing that productivity worked best with less distraction, but you’d lose the Snowdrifter Classic just to see the cogs in his brain turning as he built, or the triumphant twinkle in his eyes when he solved another problem. He was happy even when frustrated with it, and seeing him this way was slowly changing the way you looked at him. And thought of him.

Not that he needed to know that.

In moments where you weren’t much help to him, you did your own preparations. You practiced your aim. You practiced switching weapons as quickly as you could. You had Ani take a break from his pod and stand with your blaster to practice disarming. You hoped it would all be enough. It had to be, or you’d suffer the consequences. Whether it was losing a race or losing your life, you wouldn't accept either. 

Now, it was the morning before Snowdrifter. You had slept in the living room, the noises from the workroom too loud to even try to sleep in your own bed. Dawn must have just arrived, because the sun rays had poured in through the skylight, covering some of the space in light. 

You rise, surprised to hear no whirring of machinery from the other side of the house. You shuffle over, poking your head through the door to see Ani’s crumpled and blanketed body in a chair, his torso slumped forward over the table. His arms served as a pillow for his head, and the half of his face you could see looked both peaceful and tired.

Stepping inside quietly, your eye catches something just as magnificent around the corner. 

Ani’s finished podracer takes away your breath. It was longer and wider than you expected. Steel cables connect the grey cockpit to two repulsor engines that were colored the same winter blue as his eyes. The cockpit was shaped like a chariot that flattened out near the back, giving you a platform to stand on and shoot from. 

You run your hands over its entire body, shuddering at the freezing metal but smiling at the craftsmanship. Blasters were one thing, and you were always proud of your creations, but this racer felt like art. You wanted to preserve it rather than risk the possibility of it receiving a single nick on a race track. But, no…

You remember the grin on Ani’s face when he raced in the Boonta Eve Classic all those years ago. Even through a screen you saw how his smile radiated. He’d never raced since, and it seemed now that he had the chance to do it again, nothing would stop him.

You smile at the thought, then turn to face him. 

Oh. He’s looking at you. He’s been awake, an elbow up on the table and his sharp jaw resting in his palm. With bleary, tired, blue eyes and a sideways smile, he mumbles, “Wonderful, isn’t it?”

You nod quickly, trying to gauge by his face how long he’s been awake and watching you admire his work. 

“It’s beautiful,” you answer. “Really, I love it. I’m impressed.”

He chuckles, waving a hand. “Don’t speak too soon. I haven’t tested its speed yet.”

Your eyes widen along with the smile on your face. “Can we try it now?” you blurt without thinking, excitement clear in your tone.

It was common sense to go on a ride with him - you needed to garner an understanding of how Ani drove, how steady your hand could be while he drove, and how it felt to be on the platform. But really, you asked because it looked like absolute fun. You seldom got to ride them, and Ani was the best racer you knew.

He grins at your enthusiasm, standing and walking next to you and his podracer.

“I’d love nothing more,” he answers, and just like that, the two of you are outside in cold daylight.

The color of the pod looks much brighter than indoors. Once again you run your fingertips over it. Ani eventually tells you to step back, and you can’t contain your excitement as it begins to hover over the icy ground. 

Ani climbs in first, getting comfortable in the driver’s seat then offering you a hand to get in yourself. He pulls you up, then says, “Sit behind me.”

You blink. There’s not much room for you, and upon that realization, your heart jumps to your throat. You swallow as if it will go down.

You could object his suggestion, of course. It wouldn’t matter to you what his reaction would be to that. But you were drawn to him, as if he was a pit of fire during a harsh winter night. So you sit down, straddling him from behind. There’s a tiny space for you to lean back, but you don’t. No part of your torso isn’t covering his strong back, and your thighs are flush against his. Despite layers upon layers of clothing, you’re certain he can feel you tremble. If he asks, you could say it’s from the cold, but he doesn’t, and he wouldn’t have believed it. 

You sit there for a moment, wishing more than anything you could delve into his mind so you could know what he was thinking. You can only see a fraction of his face from this angle, and his body language tells you nothing, despite feeling his every movement. 

His mouth moves but no sound comes out. You almost ask, but he suddenly clears his throat and begins to prepare for the drive.

“Hold tight,” he commands, but your courage has been sapped from you, freezing your muscles. 

You don’t move, and he turns his head to meet your eyes. “Don’t be afraid,” he says, voice smooth and clear. Then, a little, knowing laugh escapes him. “It’s just a podracer.”

Your eyes narrow at him, heart hammering even harder from his teasing words and smile.

Taking a deep breath, you wrap your arms around his chest. You can feel his heart, and it’s as wild as an ensnared animal. Did it beat so wildly for you? Your cowardice wouldn’t let you ask, not in a million years.

Your head was lost thinking, but it was immediately pulled back into reality once Ani raced forward. Everything but him was a blur, and you felt his weight on you as the twin engines pulled your pod forward.

Once you got comfortable with the speed, you rested your chin on his shoulder. Wind whipped at your hair and his silly little braid. It muffled every noise, even Ani’s excited laughs and whoops. You couldn’t hear him very well, but you could feel every rumble of his chest, and somehow that was more fulfilling. 

However long the two of you spent driving, it was not enough. Disappointment stabbed your heart when Ani slowed the pod to a stop. The adrenaline kept you smiling, though, and he smiled even wider when he looked back to see your expression. His cheeks and nose were pink from the cold morning wind. 

“That was incredible,” you say breathlessly. You stand and hop out of the podracer. Ani does the same, not taking his eyes off of you.

He stands right in front of you, inches away. His breath creates a cloud when he speaks, just above a whisper, “I know.”

The two of you remain quiet after that, hearts and breaths beginning to return to normal speeds. It’s as if you can’t see anything but him, but that’s just fine. Nothing else could matter more right now.

A seed is planted in the back of your mind, and it quickly grows into a thought that reaches the forefront of your brain.

You could kiss him.

His lips are only a second away. You’re already swept away by the blue tide of his eyes. You miss the warmth of his body pressed against yours from minutes ago. Once and for all, you could get an answer for so many questions you’ve had since you’ve met him. Just a simple touch of his lips against yours...

“Should we go again?” you blurt instead.

Immediately after the words escape your stupid mouth, you want to kick yourself. Regret feels like it has dumped you in a freezing lake, but you can’t show it to him, so you blather on. “This time I can be in the back, so I know how it feels to shoot a-and, y’know…” You trail off, hoping he won’t mention your sudden change in demeanor.

Ani nods in agreement. “Sure. As many times as you’d like.” He climbs back in, adjusting knobs and buttons while he waits for you.

You sigh and gaze up at the winter sky, trying not to imagine how sweet a soft brush of his lips against yours would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *wink*


	12. #12

“Do you have everything you need?” Ani asks you, standing at the bottom of the staircase, a hand over the banister.

You look down at yourself. You had your leather boots, a fur-lined coat over layers of warm clothes, one glove slid over your non-dominant hand, and your grey scarf wrapped around your neck.

All of your blasters were either strapped to your body, or in a crate that had already been transported to the racing field, chock-full of ammunition. Anakin’s pod racer was already sent as well, probably being inspected by the judges at this very moment along with every other pod to rule out foul play. 

“Yes. How about you?”

Now, you look at him. He’s dressed warmly, bantha fur outfitting him. In his gloved hand are driving goggles attached to a helmet. But you notice his neck is quite exposed. A thought jumps into your head, and you quickly dash to your room.

In a drawer by your bed, you take out a scarf. It was a dark brown and tartan plaid. The embroidery of initials in a corner of the fabric leaves a bittersweet taste in your mouth. You hope your late father would forgive you for allowing a Jedi to use his scarf. Would he understand that Ani was so much more than a Jedi to you now?

You exit the room and silently present it to Anakin. He takes it, throwing the sides over his broad shoulders then adjusting it. 

His tiny braid is caught in the fabric. You carefully reach over, untangling it and letting it hang over his shoulder. Its delicacy between your fingers makes your lips curve upward.

A sideways smile forms on his face. “Are we ready now?”

You have a hard time saying something. You want to relish in this moment longer, to spend all day memorizing the features of his face. But you force yourself to take your hand away and say, “Yes. Let’s go.”

The stadium for the race this year was in Kijimi City. It was about 150 klicks away home, but considering how popular the Snowdrifter Classic had become in recent years, owners of large ships came to outlying towns like yours to shuttle contestants and spectators alike for a small fee. You and Ani had boarded one of the many ships and spent the ride going over every and any possible scenario that could come about on the race tracks. 

“And what should I do if I get distracted?” he had asked after there was a large moment of silence between the two of you.

Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him. “What could possibly distract you?”

“You, of course.”

Your face immediately burned. “What? D-don’t be ridiculous!”

He laughed, delighted at his success in making you flustered. “I had to ask.”

You just scoffed loudly and had difficulty looking him in the eyes afterwards. 

But now, as you and Ani departed the shuttle and began to walk into the icy cave that the contestants were to gather in, the air became serious, and the two of you were determined. 

Throngs of species were already inside. You counted many more creatures than humans, but that was to be expected. Pod racing had never been a human-dominated sport, even in races like these with speed restrictions.

There were Wookiees, Boosidians, Dugs, and more you couldn’t fully identify. Seeing them sparked the thrill of competition in your chest. People from across the stars came here to compete, and you wanted to win against all of them. You never were one to give less than 100%, no matter high or low stakes. With the intense gaze Anakin was wearing, you know for a fact he is the same way. 

A thin man that you recognized as last year’s host for the race stood before a podium with a microphone attached to his blazer. He cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the vicinity. 

A semi-circle formed around him, and he smiles, greeting everyone. 

“What a turn out we have this year!” he says, creating a wave of applause and cheers.

“Well, I hate to dull the excitement, but before everyone can get in their positions, I’m obligated to restate everything on the contracts you signed.”

Around you you hear annoyed murmurs, but they quiet as soon as he starts to talk once again. You listen intently, despite already knowing what he was going to say.

There were many objectives. A contestant’s pod was to travel around the racetrack three times with obstacles scattered around the circuit. Multicolored targets could be found and marked with point values. Other opponents were also determined as obstacles, and their points were taken by whichever team managed to incapacitate them. The ultimate goal was to cross the finish line with the most points.

Next he reviewed the regulations, which were quite simple. Do not exceed the kilometer speed. No unregistered weapons. Only stun shots on other competitors. The gunner and driver cannot switch roles unless one is incapable. 

Despite all the rules, they were considered only as a formality to some. The audience didn’t much care. They wanted action, law abiding or not. If a broken rule wasn’t blatantly obvious, it was seldom investigated by the judges. You had learned that first-hand. 

The man begins to speak about the prizes, but you don’t much care about that, so you tune him out. Instead, you take glances at Ani. Funnily enough, you think you see a glint in his eyes when a prize for best pod racer was mentioned, reminding you that little boy on Tatooine was still inside of him. 

Finally after some time, the crowd is dismissed. You take Ani and find your belongings a few yards away, tucked near the back of the cave.

Anakin immediately begins to check his pod. It now has two cameras attached to it, one giving a driver’s point of view and the other a view of the back of the pod, where you’d be shooting. The audience could watch any certain camera they wished through their tablets, and the giant screens by the scoreboard and judges box would cycle through them during the race.

You check your crate of blasters to make sure the inventory is perfect. Ace told you to use as many as possible so that customers could see your variety of weapons. He didn’t have to tell you twice. These were your blasters; you were proud to show off every model. 

Now that everyone was at their respective pods, you begin to survey the area. But when you recognize an ugly yellow pod a few spots away, you scowl and turn your head. As a distraction, you fiddle with your main blaster, ticking off every box in your mental checklist.

Alas, you’ve already been spotted. _She_ is unavoidable.

Your name is shouted repeatedly, and sourly pronounced. Anakin lifts his head up, wondering who’s calling you. 

“Keep working,” you tell him. “It’s nothing. I’ll be right back.” 

You walk up to none other than Jeela. The aged wound in your side aches annoyingly as you stare her right in the eyes. She’s taller and wider than you, with long blonde hair and a scrunched up face. Behind her inside the yellow podracer sat her driver, a Wookiee whose name you could never remember. 

“I’m surprised you showed,” she jeers, scraping away dirt from under her fingernails. “I see you haven’t learned your lesson from last time.”

You ball your fists. “What lesson? That you have no class?” 

In all honesty, you weren’t sure exactly why she despised you so much. You could assume a multitude of things - the two of you were the only female humans to ever compete in the Snowdrifter Classic, and you both specialized in crafting blasters. Maybe that was all she needed to form a grudge against you.

But it’s not as if it mattered. You harbored ugly feelings for her since she took away your victory by trying to kill you. That was more than enough for her to become your enemy. 

She sneers, eyes peering over you to see Anakin. You want to tear her eyes away; her gaze isn’t worthy of him. 

“And just who is that? Some poor lover you’ve manipulated into helping you?”

You scoff, face feeling hot. _Lover?_ That was a serious word to describe him... Your attraction to him wasn’t so obvious, was it? You’d think about it later. 

“He’s none of your business,” you reply. “He’s simply here to help me win against you. It’s unlucky for you that I didn’t die last time.”

She rolls her eyes. “I was never going to kill you.”

“That’s what you claim. But I know you missed my heart because you can’t shoot straight.”

You wanted to believe she was still a terrible markswoman, but that would be a stupid assumption. The accident was two years ago. Who knows how much she’s improved since then… 

Whatever the case, you were not about to underestimate her abilities. You had to be prepared for whatever tricks she had tucked away. 

Anger flares in her eyes and she opens her mouth to shoot back, but stops when your name is heard.

“(Y/N)!” Ani calls, voice urgent. “Can you take a look at this?”

Thank the stars for him.

You smile at her flatly, eyes narrowing. “I’ll see you on the tracks, Jeela.”

“The only thing I’ll see of you is your blood streaked on the ice.” When you don’t respond, she shouts, “And your lover’s!”

You grit your teeth, your blaster receiving a death grip by your hands. Your face feels as if it’s been lit on fire. It’s uncertain to even yourself if it is due to embarrassment or anger. _‘Keep walking,’_ you tell yourself. 

You’re not sure if Anakin heard, but you decide that it’s no time to be flustered. You approach him, and he’s tinkering inside the driver’s pit. Hands on your hips, you question, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he says, still pretending to repair. “It just looked like you needed an escape.”

You huff. “Thanks.” You run your hand over his pod, watching the last few racers get into position. Your entire body felt on high alert. 

“T-minus thirty seconds!” a voice shouts. You watch as your opponents climb into their pods. You do the same. Anakin is already inside.

You can feel the energy buzzing off of his body. The smirk on his face has you wondering what exactly he’s thinking. The man in charge motions everyone to rise inside their vehicles. 

“Recalling an old memory?” you mutter, nudging him as he stands next to you. The line of contestants starts to move forward and out of the cave. Beyond it is the race track and the audience, who you can hear through icy walls. 

Ani remains silent, the smirk on his face growing even wider. The audience’s shouts and screams of excitement become clearer as your pod inches closer and closer to the cave’s mouth.

You exhale nervously. “I’m glad I’m doing this with you.” You whisper this so quietly that you worry he won’t be able to hear you over the ever-growing sound of the crowd.

He gives you a glance from the corner of his eye. “Why? Because I’m the best podracer known to mankind and more?”

You chuckle, pushing away a stray hair from your cold face. “Don’t be so confident, Ani. We haven’t won this yet.” 

“We will.” He looks at you straight on now. “You’re the best gunsmith on this side of the galaxy, (Y/N). Who’s going to stop you?”

Your pod moves forward, and the bright winter sky suddenly illuminates your faces. You smile, but not for the audience. Anakin does the same, eyes unable to demagnetize from yours. The announcer calls your names over the loudspeaker, so you finally acknowledge the crowd. You wonder if they remember you. 

Each stadium seat seems to be filled, and the rows are so high they touch the sky. You and Ani wave to no one in particular. They are all faraway blobs of color.

A flock of hovering cameras scatter across the race track, their lenses focusing on groups of contestants. They remind you that Ace is watching you now, in a subsection of Coruscant through a televised screen. You can practically hear him in the back of your mind. _‘Shoot straight.’_

The announcer in the skybox threw his multiple hands up, “Racers! Be at the ready!”

You take a deep breath. Cold air fills your lungs. Anakin adjusts the helmet he’s put over his head. “Stay sharp,” you order, counting on your fingers, “don’t stray from the track, and communicate. Remember, we’re a team.”

His lips form a serious thin line. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promises. 

You spin your blaster with a finger. “I don’t need your protection,” you say with true confidence. He stiffens, thinking he’s said the wrong thing. “But thank you,” you finish, grinning. “Now let’s kriffing win.”


End file.
